IWC is accepted as the world's finest and most meticulously judged wine competition which assesses every wine blind and judges each for its faithfulness to style, region and vintage. The Diemersdal MM Louw scored 95pts from the judges. Over 400 judges from around the world scrutinised wines from 50 countries that had entered this year’s challenge.
According to Thys Louw, sixth generation wine maker and proprietor of Diemersdal Estate, this achievement at IWC underscores the Diemersdal region’s legacy of excellence Sauvignon Blanc.
“Durbanville has over the past 15 years built-up a formidable reputation for our white wines – especially Sauvignon Blanc,” says Louw, also known as one as one of South Africa’s leading Sauvignon Blanc makers and vice-chairman of Sauvignon Blanc SA, the industry body representing producers of this variety.
“I am especially pleased with this recognition going the way of our MM Louw Sauvignon Blanc, a wooded wine made in a more classic style than the tropical fruit and pyrazine driven wines that has made this variety one of the most popular and most consumed wines in the world. Diemersdal’s aim with the MM Louw is to first and foremost make a world-class white wine with structure and terroir-focus that underscores my belief that Sauvignon Blanc is one of the world’s great white grapes capable of creating wines on the same iconic level as Burgundy and German Riesling.”
MM Louw Sauvignon is made from Diemersdal’s dryland vineyards planted on red Hutton soils situated some eight kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean on a patch of cool-climate terroir. Hand-harvested, the grapes are pressed and the juice fermented in 500l French oak barrels before allowed to mature for a further six months.
Louw says the IWC Gold medal once again shows the acceptance South African Sauvignon Blanc is achieving among international judges. “The status of South African Sauvignon Blanc is going from strength-to-strength – on the competition front as well as in the local and international market-place,” he says.
“Wines from this variety are commanding the highest local and export prices for a South African single varietal white wine, and its global popularity among consumers shows no sign of abating. Like New Zealand, South African is now also expanding its Sauvignon Blanc offering to wooded wines of greater complexity, showing a greater dimension to this cultivar and not only attracting more consumers, but also improving the image of this variety.
“To be able to play in this international arena where Sauvignon Blanc is sought-after and taking a lot of the spotlight can only be of benefit to the reputation and status of Brand South Africa. Here, Diemersdal is proud to be a part of this recognition the country is getting.”