Diemersdal ends a Remarkable 2024 with Five 5-star Platter’s Ratings and Two Wines of the Year

In its best showing in the 45-year history of South Africa’s iconic Platter’s Guide to the country’s wine offerings, Diemersdal Estate in Durbanville secured five five-star ratings in the 2025 Platter’s, two of which were named as the guide’s Wines of the Year. Diemersdal Wild Horseshoe 2023 Sauvignon Blanc and The Journal Pinotage 2022 were named Sauvignon Blanc and Pinotage of the Year respectively, while five star ratings were also presented to Diemersdal Syrah 2023, The Journal Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 and The Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2023.

The Platter’s Guide accolades caps a remarkable year for this family-owned and managed Durbanville wine estate in which it won the General Smuts Trophy for best wine at the National Young Wine Show, four Double Gold medals at the Veritas Wine Awards, Gold at the International Wine Challenge, a spot in the FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 and a Top 10 placing in the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Awards.

Over 9 000 South African wines, brandies and husk-spirits were judged for the 2025 Platter’s Guide, with over 900 producers entering their products, continuing the guide’s reputation as the most comprehensive indication to the quality of local wines and wine-related spirits. Of this voluminous number of entries, only 259 wines secured five-star ratings, i.e. scoring 95pts and above.

Thys Louw, Diemersdal Estate’s owner-winemaker, says that when anticipating the annual Platter’s ratings, a producer wonders if one or maybe two of his or her wines will be so fortunate as to obtain a five-star accolade.

“But five five stars – including two wines of the year – incorporating both Diemersdal’s white and red wine offerings has truly blown myself and my team in the cellar away,” says Louw. “Over 9 000 wines were judged for Platter’s 2025 guide, and I am fully aware of the rigorous process involving two judging sessions to select the five-star wines. For five of our wines to get 95pts and above is tremendous recognition for Diemersdal’s commitment to consistent quality in both the Sauvignon Blancs we are known for as well as our red wines, as Diemersdal’s early legacy was largely built on wines from our red grape vineyards.”

Renowned for Sauvignon Blanc, Diemersdal’s two five-star wines from this variety showcase the winery’s diverse approach in its search for Sauvignon Blanc excellence. The Sauvignon Blanc of the Year – Diemersdal Wild Horseshoe – gains complexity through skin-contact, wild fermentation and oak-aging, while The Journal is a wooded Sauvignon Blanc made to the style of Sancerre in France,

While Diemersdal has gained a reputation as one of the Cape’s leading Sauvignon Blanc estates, the three five-star Platter’s ratings for its red wines underscores the versatility of its Durbanville terroir.

“Our region has over the past two decades gained recognition for white wines, especially Sauvignon Blanc, but as one of South Africa’s oldest wine-growing areas, Durbanville has a history of fine red wine-making,” says Thys. “Some of the iconic Cape reds of the 1950s and 1960s originated from Durbanville, the most famous being the cult GS Cabernet 1966. The Platter’s five stars for Diemersdal’s Pinotage, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon continue the legacy this region has for fine red wine.”

Thys says that although these accolades were awarded to wines made from the 2022 and 2023 vintages, the success of Diemersdal is inextricably linked to the legacy of the six generations of the Louw family who have farmed and made wine here since 1885.

“Yes, we have soils suitable for growing quality grapes and the climate is maritime, cool and conducive to ripening the fruit to gain superb flavour profiles,” says Thys.

“But I am a firm believer in ‘human terroir’ which results from generations of a farming family who have presided over wine-farming and viticulture in one place. The understanding of soil and vines and the ethos of wine-making on Diemersdal has spanned over six generations who have all shared and still share similar values committed to creating the best wines this farm can offer. Without this human terroir of the Louw family today’s Diemersdal success would not be possible.”

MediaVision Communications on behalf of Dimersdal