Merlot

Diemersdal Merlot 2023 pairs well with venison dishes or a spicy risotto, complementing the wine’s rich fruit and spice character.

Grapes are sourced from vines rooted in deep red Hutton soils on north-facing slopes in the cool maritime climate of Durbanville. Canopy management techniques were used to enhance color concentration, and the grapes were harvested at optimal ripeness.

The Merlot aged for 10 months in 30% new 225L French oak barrels.

The wine was fermented in both open and closed fermenters, with punch-downs and pump-overs performed every 3-4 hours at controlled temperatures (25-28°C). After fermentation, it underwent two weeks of skin contact for further extraction. Malolactic fermentation (MLF) occurred spontaneously in tanks before the wine was transferred to barrels.

Diemersdal is a Durbanville wine estate with six generations of Louw family winemaking behind it, dating back to 1885. Part of Wine of Origin Cape Town, the estate is shaped by cooling Atlantic mist and is best known for expressive Sauvignon Blanc, cool-climate reds and a clear Durbanville signature.