De Grendel Wines released the first vintage of its De Tijger Merlot 2022 at a special tasting in the maturation cellar, followed by lunch. Hosted by winemaker Morgan Steyn and Sir De Villiers Graaff, fourth-generation Graaff owner, guests heard that the estate has focused on Merlot as one of its core expressions since its inception in 2005. The winemaking team believes Merlot is a variety often underappreciated by critics but consistently enjoyed by South African wine lovers.
De Villiers – who calls himself the custodian of the 1720 farm rather than the owner – told guests that De Tijger takes its name from the Tygerberg Hill, where De Grendel is in Cape Town. From a distance, the yellow patches of indigenous Renosterveld vegetation resemble leopard spots. “The early Dutch settlers, without a word for ‘leopard’, called it a tiger instead, and so the Tygerberg was named. Today, those same Renosterveld habitats are among the most threatened in the Cape, and De Grendel is a WWF Conservation Champion, ensuring that this heritage of nature and name endures.”
He says the De Tijger Merlot is “the culmination of our Merlot repertoire. Today we hope to show that Merlot is not such an uninteresting variety. In my short experience in the wine industry, it seems that Merlot does not have the gravitas that many other varieties have. Hopefully, in time, De Grendel will become known for Merlot as well.
“It’s our most successful red grape variety grown on the farm and does very well in the local market, but not many people seem to know that when you talk to them about Merlot.”
Morgan – part of the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme, who started as an intern at De Grendel in 2019 under the guidance of cellarmaster Charles Hopkins – added that although the farm has been producing Merlot for some years now, they are still learning, as is the case with all varieties.
“But it’s not a sprint; it takes time. You will see that this was a journey for us – deciding to make De Tijger Merlot, a new label, released 21 years after the first wines were made here in 2004.
“De Grendel started with three labels – a Sauvignon Blanc, a Merlot and a Shiraz – and today we produce 16 labels in total. It might sound like a lot, but for us, it’s all about expressing our terroir in the various blocks.”
He showed handdrawn sketches of the first wine labels in early 2000s made by Righard Theron, Marketing Manager.
“We made 20 000 litres that first year, and now it stands at 650 000 litres.”
He says this wine not only shows a sense of place but also what older vines can produce.
Cellarmaster Charles Hopkins and Morgan have long believed that Merlot holds greater potential on South African soils than many give it credit for. De Tijger is a bolder, more structured interpretation of the variety that acknowledges De Grendel’s reputation as a producer continuing to master the art of Merlot.
The grapes for De Tijger were harvested from a healthy one-hectare block – the estate’s oldest vines at 25 years. Beneath it, a planting structure of younger vines has been established. Morgan explained, “That age delivers grapes of real intensity, and with our hands-off approach, the wine speaks of its place.”
On these south-western slopes of the Tygerberg, Malmesbury shale and clay underpin the roots, while a moderating maritime climate tempers the fruit. Morgan says they practised rigorous canopy management, green harvesting, and deliberately low-yield focus to ensure smaller, more concentrated berries. Only 15 barrels – 4 500 bottles – were produced.
As De Villiers explains, “We’ve always had demand for a Merlot with more weight, richness, and longevity. This site gives us that structure naturally, and with careful farming and winemaking, we can express it in a way that still feels authentically De Grendel.”
Where the estate’s signature Merlot has long offered approachability and balance, De Tijger offers South Africans a more profound interpretation. It is structured and age-worthy yet still marked by elegance.
Guests tasted three older De Grendel Merlots – 2012, 2017 and 2022 – to demonstrate ageability before tasting the new De Tijger.
Lunch featured arborio risotto with asparagus, Parmigiano Reggiano, peas, tomato and crème fraîche, served with Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2025 as a starter; lamb rack with coffee rub, spelt, mint, pearl onions, corn, tenderstem broccoli and red wine jus paired with the De Tijger Merlot 2022 as the main course; and a cheese board for dessert.
As Charles reflects, “South Africa is still discovering its Merlot story. We want De Grendel to be part of writing that narrative, showing that Merlot here can be as layered, structured and rewarding as anywhere in the world.”