Located just off busy Kloof Street, Upper Union has become a favourite for those looking for an incredible dining experience in a stylish setting. Now, this beloved eatery is taking things up a notch with the launch of its first-ever wine pairing menu, designed to perfectly complement its signature chef’s sharing experience.
The perfect pairing
With her latest summer menu, Chef Amori Burger is elevating the experience yet again – this time, with a thoughtfully curated wine pairing. To bring this vision to life, she has teamed up with sommelier Tongai Charie, whose expertise makes him the perfect partner.
“Wine is such a beautiful addition to a meal. It brings out different elements of flavour in a dish.”– Chef Amori Burger
“Since opening, we’ve been refining our wine list, and now we have a collection that allows us to offer a proper pairing experience for our guests,” says Amori.
For Tongai, the process was both an exciting challenge and rewarding. Matching wines to Amori’s bold dishes required weeks of tasting, adjusting, and refining to ensure each sip complemented the flavours on the plate.
This collaboration between chef and sommelier has resulted in a pairing menu that brings out the best in both food and wine, complete with tasting notes to ensure guests enjoy the full experience.
Sommelier Tongai Charie
Sommelier Tongai Charie. (Image supplied).
Head Chef Amori Burger.
Upper Union’s Chef Amori Burger. (Image supplied).
The menu: What to expect
Each pairing has been carefully selected to highlight the best of Amori’s globally inspired dishes. Think Van Loggerenberg’s Geronimo Cinsault 2023 paired with ox tongue and spekboom chutney – a match that balances richness with bright, fresh notes. For meat lovers, the La Brie Syrah 2022 is the perfect partner for the picanha steak, served with asparagus chimichurri and a stout demi.
Even dessert gets the wine treatment. End off your meal with a decadent chocolate and hazelnut praline with Romany Cream crumble served alongside a glass of Colmant Brut Reserve. Tongai’s tasting notes highlight how the bubbly cuts through the richness of the chocolate while its citrus and brioche undertones bring out the praline’s nutty sweetness and the bright pop of lime gel.
Upper Union ox tongue.
Ox tongue, lamb cheek fat and “paradise road” sourdough pangritata and spekboom. (Image supplied).
Upper Union summer menu.
Crisp salad, steak, bread, and a perfectly poured glass of wine. (Image supplied).
Summer indulgence
The wine pairing is available for both the pasture and garden-sharing menus, designed to be enjoyed by the whole table. While the sharing menu is priced at R850 for pasture and R750 for garden per person, guests can add the wine pairing for an additional R450 per person.
Whether you’re a wine enthusiast or simply keen to try something new, this pairing menu invites you to slow down and enjoy good food and wine.
More information
Website: www.upperunion.co.za
Bookings: Upper Union Restaurant
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