A NEW wine has been unveiled by winemakers of the Durbanville Wine Valley. Produced in a limited quantity, the Durbanville Pinotage 2024 is as much milestone of the past as window to the future of cool climate diversity.
The wine was crafted in celebration of three significant milestones: the 200th anniversary of the town of Durbanville, 100 years of Pinotage as a true South African cultivar, and 100 years of Afrikaans as an official language.
Just 1 170 bottles of the Durbanville Pinotage 2024 wine are available, with each bottled exclusively as a 1.5L magnum.
The label design tells the story of Durbanville’s land and legacy. Framed in Delft-blue illustration, it features the historic Dutch Reformed Church, a Cape Dutch homestead found on the family-owned farms, and the iconic outline of Table Mountain as seen from the hills of Durbanville. A garland of pumpkins, wheat and grapes pays tribute to the region’s rich agricultural heritage. All wording on the label appears in Afrikaans, marking the centenary of Afrikaans as an official language and reflecting its cultural prominence in Cape Town’s northern district.
The collaboration behind the Durbanville Pinotage 2024 saw the participation of winemaking teams from 11 cellars. They included Nitida, Meerendal, Maastricht, Klein Roosboom, Groot Phesantekraal, Durbanville Hills, Diemersdal, De Grendel, D’Aria, Mellish Family Wines and Canto.
The final blend was entrusted to De Grendel’s Morgan Steyn and Charles Hopkins.
Steyn describes the wine as “a refined expression” that opens with layered aromas of blackcurrant, prune and cherry, lifted by gentle undertones of winter spice. The palate is elegant and well-structured, guided by soft, powdery tannins that provide length and finesse. A lively natural acidity brings vibrancy and definition, allowing the purity of the fruit to shine. This wine offers both freshness and depth, with the potential to develop further complexity over time.
The magnums are available to order online or selected tasting rooms in the Durbanville Wine Valley, at R1 200 each.
