“From bud-break and flowering last year, it was evident that grape volumes for 2026 would be substantial,” says Thys Louw, the sixth-generation proprietor and winemaker at Diemersdal Estate. “But with the rain staying away for most of what has been a hot and windy season, we were not sure if the initial signs of healthy volumes would materialise. However, once again the vine-plant truly appears to be an amazing thing, and despite the dry conditions and consistently high temperatures, the volumes of grapes coming in from our vineyards are considerably higher than average.”
At this early stage of the harvest season, the focus is on Sauvignon Blanc, Diemersdal’s key variety, the wines of which helped it take the Top Performing Winery of the Year Award in this year's Platter's Guide to South African Wine.
“What makes these solid grape yields amazing, is that all Diemersdal’s vineyards are farmed dryland, meaning they are never irrigated. So, despite the heat, the dry conditions and the wind, the vines are giving copious amounts of healthy grapes without having had the luxury of being irrigated during the dry spell. Dryland vines have truly learned to live with the elements and vagaries of climatic conditions, their deeper root system being one reason. And in turn, dryland vines are known to give the truest, purest reflection of terroir in the resulting wines.”
Like the yields, the Sauvignon Blanc grape quality is exceptional. Harvesting occurs at around 21.5°balling, with the juice seeing 22g/l of residual sugar, pH levels averaging 3.2 and acidity a bracing 8.5g/l.
“What is currently standing out is this year’s Sauvignon Blanc’s aromatic,” says Thys. “Last year was an excellent year for grape quality in South Africa. But the aromatics Diemersdal is seeing in the crushed grapes and during the fermentation are truly astounding and bode for true excellence in this year’s Sauvignon Blanc wines.”
Thys and his team are confident that the quality Diemersdal is experiencing on its white variety side will continue through to the reds, where Pinotage has just started hitting the crush pad.