A historic new wine has been unveiled by winemakers of the Durbanville Wine Valley. Produced in a limited quantity through the collaboration of the famous wineland region’s cellars, 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. As such, it harnessed the very best grapes and skills of the Durbanville Wine Valley to create a wine of sublime quality.
Just 1 170 bottles of the Durbanville Pinotage 2024 wine are available, with each bottled exclusively as a 1.5L magnum. Adding to its rarity, the wine is sold only through selected valley tasting rooms and its organisational website, www.durbanvillewine.co.za.
“A wine that bears this level of significance, displaying the highest art of its creators, deserves to be shared generously – and nothing says celebration quite like a magnum,” says Durbanville Wine Valley manager Natasha de Villiers.
“The youngest of South Africa’s most popular varieties, Pinotage is sometimes overshadowed by its bolder siblings, but this centenary is a reminder that it is a cultivar built for the future – especially in places like Durbanville. The region’s cool climate extends stylistic capabilities to making wines both delicate and complex.”
More than a champion of Sauvignon Blanc
Once again, the winemakers of the Durbanville Wine Valley came together to showcase the region’s collective talent, reaffirming its standing not only as a Sauvignon Blanc stronghold but also as a source of distinguished cool climate red wines. This limited release honours the fruit purity of Pinotage with clarity, elegance and regional identity.
The Durbanville Wine Valley is one of South Africa’s oldest wine-producing regions, with farms dating back to 1698. Just seven kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean and a 20-minute drive from Cape Town, the valley is defined by its cool maritime influence, elevations of up to 450 metres above sea level, and diverse soils. These natural conditions contribute to wines of freshness, structure and character.
The label design tells the story of Durbanville’s land and legacy. Framed in Delft-blue illustration, it features the historic Dutch Reformed Church (construction begun on 1 April 1825), 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.
About the winemaking
The collaboration behind the Durbanville Pinotage 2024 saw the participation of winemaking teams from 11 cellars – each famous in its own right. They included Nitida, Meerendal, Maastricht, Klein Roosboom, Groot Phesantekraal, Durbanville Hills, Diemersdal, De Grendel, D’Aria, Mellish Family Wines and Canto. Some contributed fruit while all were involved in the final barrel selection.
The final blend was entrusted to De Grendel’s Morgan Steyn and Charles Hopkins.
“It’s always a privilege to make this wine,” says De Grendel winemaker Morgan Steyn. “It speaks of the unity and camaraderie among producers in the valley, and its contribution to our mutual success.
“This wine is very different to what most people might expect of a traditional Pinotage, the key ingredient being the climate. We believe however that this it truly expresses what the future of the cultivar looks like, and it’s exciting.”
Morgan 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 at www.durbanvillewine.co.za or selected tasting rooms in the Durbanville Wine Valley, at R1 200 each. They’re packaged in a prestige container in the colour of Durbanville’s familiar Delft blue colour and tinged with gold-leaf.
For more information about Durbanville Wine Valley’s activities this festive season, follow us at @durbanvillewine or visit our website at www.durbanvillewine.co.za.
