Diemersdal Estate in Durbanville proudly represented Pinotage at this year’s International Wine Challenge (IWC), one of only two South African wineries to win a Gold medal for this indigenous variety among the 15 Cape wines awarded Gold. The esteemed IWC Gold medal was bestowed upon Diemersdal The Journal Pinotage 2022, a highlight of Diemersdal’s prestigious The Journal range.
The IWC, held annually in London, is judged by 500 international wine experts and features thousands of wines from 38 countries, making it one of the world’s premier wine competitions.
The Journal Pinotage 2022 exemplifies Diemersdal’s winemaking heritage, crafted from 48-year-old dryland bush vines. While Diemersdal is renowned for its Sauvignon Blanc, it has also consistently been a leading producer of Pinotage for over two decades, garnering numerous local and international accolades for this grape, which has become synonymous with the Cape wine industry.
Thys Louw, the sixth-generation owner-winemaker of the estate, which dates back to 1698, notes that Pinotage has found a special home in the cool-climate Durbanville region. “The maritime climate and decomposed granite soils allow a distinctive Pinotage character to shine,” says Louw. “There is depth and complexity—hallmarks of great Pinotage—but Durbanville’s cooler climate enhances the variety’s elegance and refinement, truly bringing out its inherent characteristics.”
Diemersdal’s Pinotage vineyards are farmed without irrigation, relying solely on rainfall. “The 48-year-old vines producing the grapes for The Journal Pinotage have never been irrigated, with roots extending around six meters deep,” Louw explains. “The grape bunches are tightly packed with small berries, which concentrate the fruit profiles, adding robust character alongside the varietal nuances.”
During harvest, the grapes undergo fermentation in old barrels with regular punch-downs, followed by 22 months of aging in new French oak barrels. “As with all wines in The Journal range, we adhere to a traditional and classical winemaking approach, which best expresses the fruit from these special vineyards,” Louw states. “The Gold medal from the IWC is an honor not only for our Diemersdal terroir and winemaking tradition but also for the Pinotage variety, which has proven its ability to produce world-class wines.”
