Diemersdal crafts first-ever Grüner Veltliner on African soil

Diemersdal Wine Estate, in the Durbanville Wine Valley, has launched the first-ever home-grown Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s most widely-planted and much-loved white wine grape varietal.

Winemaker Thys Louw crafted the 2013 Diemersdal Grüner Veltliner from a three hectare vineyard dating back to 2010 in a mineral, yet fruit-driven style which also characterises his signature Sauvignon Blanc wines. In the glass, Grüner Veltliner has a pale green colour, with aromas of green apple, herbs, nettles and tropical fruit. The wine is medium-bodied with a concentrated palate and lingering, mineral finish.

Grüner Veltliner is a food-friendly variety which has charmed its way onto many international wine lists in top restaurants, especially in the USA and the UK. The wine’s mineral richness and fresh acidity complement richly-flavoured foods like traditional Wiener Schnitzel, spicy Asian food and soft cheeses. Grüner Veltliner also holds up well to more challenging food matches like artichokes, asparagus and salty seafood dishes.

Asked why he chose this particular cultivar, Thys Louw quips, “Because I like it! I see great potential for this grape variety in the Diemersdal terroir. Grüner Veltliner has proven itself very fashionable in international markets and there is a gap for it in South Africa.”