Diemersdal tasting room review
We visit Durbanville winery Diemersdal.
Diemersdal Estate has been in the Louw family for six generations. However, apart from the gabled homestead which reminds you of a bygone era, the tasting experience here does little to encourage reminiscing of any kind.
The entrance off Koeberg Road is impressive enough and adequate signage along the iceberg rose-lined road makes finding the tasting room easy. But the parking area is big in relation to the tasting room and this could present a problem: should it ever be filled to capacity, patrons would be in for a cramped tasting experience because seating is limited - even if weather allows the pergola-shaded area outside to be utilised.
It is also doubtful whether personal attendance would be adequate, given that on the day of my visit there is only a single attendant to look after a crowd of Saturday afternoon tasters.
Werner is doing his best, however, and after completing someone else's order he assists me with my tasting. There is no fee and all the wines are available - except for the two wines in the flagship MM Louw range. Werner offers the standard information on the wines but, when asked, he eagerly explains the difference between the various Sauvignon Blancs made in the cellar. What he doesn't know off-hand, he will find out for you, and a question on the various pH levels has him delivering a handwritten note with the requested information later on in the tasting.
A stream of people means Werner's attention is divided, so some time passes before my next pour. In my boredom, I become perhaps too critical of the interior. It seems to have been haphazardly thrown together - there is no theme - and the boxes of wine that are just lying around bother me. There is also no visible wheelchair access.
I am growing hungry, but on enquiring about food offerings like cheese platters, I get the standard "not yet but maybe soon" reply. Nonetheless, Werner immediately offers to phone a restaurant in the valley to book a table for my group, which is appreciated. Although the tasting is dragging on longer than it should, I still sample all the reds and fi nd good value in the Matys 2007 (R31 ex-cellar).
Once the Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 is poured, we try to involve Werner in a debate about cassis, but he gets distracted. Before leaving, I write my email address in the visitor's book - and a reply to my cassis query arrives in my inbox two days later. Personal attendance, after all, albeit slightly delayed. Tel 021 976 3361; www.diemersdal.co.za.
OPEN: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:00, Saturday 09:00 - 15:00
SERVICE: 7/10 - dedicated even under pressure
AMBIENCE: 5/10 - plain, unimaginative room
VALUE: 7/10 - a good number of fair-priced wines on offer
QUALITY: 7/10 - go for the Sauvignon Blancs
