DIEMERSDAL | Private Collection | 2017
cabernet sauvignon | merlot | petit verdot | cabernet franc | malbec

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Today we are going to review a very interesting wine that comes from the South Africa‘s relatively unknown Durbanville wine region – Private Collection 2017 by Diemersdal Estate. This is a classical Bordeaux-style blend crafted from all five Bordeaux varieties: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, cabernet franc and malbec, where cabernet sauvignon form the wine’s main body and structure, merlot brings more red fruit flavors and forms a more refined mid-palate, petit verdot add more floral notes and tannin, as well as color extract, cabernet franc creates a leaner mouthfeel and brings some earthy savoriness to the blend, while malbec is all about up-front richness and black fruit flavors, creating a very smooth and lush finish. Created by Thys Louw, the wine has been aged for 20 months in french oak barriques, from which 40% new. The grapes were sourced from the vines that are rooted in deep red soils on north-facing slopes, exposed to the southerly breezes and the famous Cape winds. Cool growing conditions and the practice of dry farming allows the fruit to develop slowly, thus maintaining maximum varietal expression. That said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: clear ruby shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: clean & earthy
fruit profile: black fruits | blue fruits
__black fruits: blackcurrant | black cherry | black plum | blackberry | bramble | aronia berry
__blue fruits: blue plum | blueberry | honeyberry
fruit character: ripe & overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earthy | other
__spice: black pepper | cloves
__oak: black tea | roasted oakwood | cherry tree bark | tobacco
__earthy: black soil | gravel
__other: subtle hints of mint
primary layer: fruit

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: medium
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: supple & round | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium
aftertaste: crisp & tart

//Scoring
DIEMERSDAL | Private Collection | 2017
variety: cabernet sauvignon | merlot | petit verdot | cabernet franc | malbec
country: South Africa
region: Durbanville
rating: 93.4

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for at least 3 or 4 more years
verdict: great | a must try wine
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This is definitely a great wine of South Africa and, with a total of 93.4 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a very crisp, tart and round wine blend that is still developing, therefore one that requires at least another 3 or 4 more years of bottle ageing. In its current state it feels supple and well structured, delivering ripe, fine-grained tannins on the palate, overwhelming acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through on the mouthfeel. The wine displays a noble, earthy-oaky character, with a medium+ body and a very nice balance on the palate. On the nose it delivers ripe & overripe black fruits mixed with some spice in the foreground, supported by an earthy-oaky accent in the background. What it might lack today is maybe just a bit of finesse and elegance on the palate. All in all, this is definitely a wine that will age well and one that will pair nicely with spicy meaty dishes, like for example a T-bone steak or an old-fashioned tomahawk steak. Cheers!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.