There are two ways to entice an expat to move back home. First, subject them to voluminous amounts of champagne on a summery Cape Town afternoon with a 180-degree view encompassing Signal Hill and the waterfront, and second — feed them a 10-course meal paired with wine from a variety of South African cellars.

One of my best friends from University happened to be deciding whether to move back home or not, and I think that the wine pairing evening prepared by Cape Legends could have just made her mind up for her.

As the sunlight faded and the candles were lit, we made our way to the glass windowed dining room at the Lightbox at Hill House in Somerset Road, where the the extensive menus were illuminated by the flickering light.

The best of the best

Cape Legends were paying tribute to their award-winning winemakers and their best-of-best wines, each paired with a taste-size portion of contemporary international cuisine.

Knights Catering were given the task of showcasing the sophistication and food-friendliness of each of the wines.

The extensive menu started out with a classic choice of Crayfish Bisque paired with Tukulu Chenin Blanc from Groenekloof in Darling. The wine is a pale straw yellow and has hints of pear and apricot and a crisp lime finish.

At the same time we were also treated to Asparagus in Lemon Butter with Parmesan, and Lemon and Basil Linguine with Flash Fried Scallops.

The former was paired with the Lomond Pincushion Sauvignon Blanc, a Cape Agulhas wine which gives off whiffs of gooseberry and ripe figs on the nose but is full-bodied and well balanced on tasting.

Meanwhile the linguine was paired with the magical Plaisir De Merle Chardonnay — a golden wine with ample citrus and hints of roasted nuts, which went brilliantly with the basil and lemon flavours of the dish.

The darker side

Our palettes refreshed, we moved onto the heavier courses and bolder red wines. First up was the Peppered Ostrich Fillet Carpaccio with Wild Rocket and Sweet Pepper Sambals, which was paired with the Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Pinotage. The Pinotage is a dark ruby colour and strikes your palette with some sturdy acidity, which wasn't my cup of tea.

Next up the most delicious Indian Butter Chicken with Cashew nut and Coriander Pilaf (hats off to the chef) was paired with an equally remarkable wine — the Le Bonheur Prima 2005 from Stellenbosch, its rich juicy plum flavours coming to the fore.

Then once again the Plaisir De Merle Plaisir 2005 made by Niel Bester swept us off our feet. An intense dark red wine, with fruitcake flavours, it was the perfect accompaniment to the Biltong Spiced Lion of Venison on a Potato and Butternut Griddle Cake.

Just when I thought there could not possibly be more, another round of dishes was placed neatly on the reflecting placemat before me. But the Coq Au Vin Pie was well worth making space for, and paired with the familiar Alto Cabernet Sauvignon one cannot go wrong.

The braised Oxtail Ravioli Poached with Bone Marrow was a rich end to the main courses, paired with the most brilliant wine — the Stellenzicht Syrah 2002. Made by Guy Webber, this wine is a little deeper, a little smokier than the rest, with an elegant and balanced structure. And at 15.3 percent alcohol it's bound to make you happy.

I love Noble Late Harvest, and I could have sat and drunk the Lord Neethling Weisser Riesling NLH 2006 all night, except the sugar would have had me at gym for a week. Paired with the Crepe Suzette (the best pairing of the night in my opinion) its nose of apricot and honey was like Christmas in my mouth.

The Allesverloren Vintage Reserve Port 1997 followed, and was definitely a winner, but I still clung to my Noble Late Harvest for dear life. The Port however, which comes from Riebeeck West in the Swartland, is a rather wonderful, heady combination of coffee and raisins. To go with the Port, a selection of cheese and crackers was available.

We then made our way to the outdoor deck where the city lights welcomed us. Here we were treated to the special Uitkyk Pot Stil Brandy and Chocolate truffles, a brilliant end to a rather magical evening.

Cape Legends consists of Allesverloren, Neetlingshof, Lomond, Alto, Stellenzicht, Uitkyk, Tukulu, Plaisir De Merle and Le Bonheur.