Fodor's Expert Review Diemersfontein Winery

Diemersfontein is best-known for originating what has become one of the most successful styles South Africa has yet created: coffee Pinotage. Pinotage, a South African grape that is a cross between Pinot Noir and Hermitage, can be bitter and is sometimes described as rubbery. Through careful yeast selection and the addition of toasted oak staves during aging, Diemersfontein's Bertus Fourie brought out prominent coffee and chocolate notes in the wine, creating a new and hugely popular style. The estate's other brand, Thokozani, is a Black empowerment project, partly owned by the winery staff.