Rotwein des Jahres 2023

De Grendel

Pinotage Amandelboord

Awarded 93 Tim Atkin points and 5 Platter's stars, a "ready to enjoy now" wine.

An exceptionally exciting new addition to the De Grendel range, released in 2015 not only to celebrate the winery's 10th anniversary but also in honour of Sir De Villiers Graaff's grandfather and namesake, the 2nd Baronet. The indigenous Pinotage grape, especially when it came from the Durbanville - Cape Town Ward, was a favorite of his grandfather. The wine is inspired by fond memories of the almond orchard through which young Sir De Villiers Graaff often rode with his grandfather. The Amandelboord Pinotage shows a beautiful, intense, deep violet color with a magenta meniscus. Maraschino cherries, black plums and Wilson toffee aromas with banana flavors show on the nose. On the palate, young but well-integrated, fruit-soaked tannins are present, softening with age and aeration. The fruity, supple body is joined by light roasted notes, followed by the taste of sweet, stewed plums. The whole leads into a round, long finish. This impressive drop combines all the attributes that we believe a good Pinotage should have, which is why we have named it our "Red Wine of the Year 2023".

93 Points by Tim Atkin
89 Points by Decanter
5 Stars by Platter’s

The wine pairs excellently with BBQ chicken, venison carpaccio with Pecorino, and Asian oysters.

Red Wine of the Year 2023 – from 6 bottles
DE GRENDEL
Pinotage Amandelboord – 2021
CHF 17.90 instead of CHF 29.00

The Winemaker

Charles Hopkins has been with the Durbanville winery since its inception in 2005, when Sir David Graaff poached him from Graham Beck with the irresistible offer to head up winemaking and design and build his own cellar. Charles is a lifelong student of wine, and even after 30 years of experience in the industry and numerous local and international awards, he remains curious to learn more on his winemaking journey.

Image: Charles Hopkins (left) with De Villiers Graaff (right)

De Grendel Estate
Durbanville – Cape Town

On the southern slopes of the Tygerberg Hills, directly by the Atlantic Ocean, the vineyards, spanning an area of 75 hectares, grow at 200m above sea level. This special location is characterized by the constant cool winds from the ocean, which ensure a long ripening period. The stony soils of the Tygerberg Hills impart interesting mineral notes to the wines. The impressive "Premium Winery" can certainly be described as a true heritage of Cape Town. For in the oldest wine-growing region of South Africa, grapes have been cultivated at De Grendel since 1720. The winery has been in the possession of the Graaff family, who have played a successful role in the economic development of South Africa for many years, for 5 generations since 1890.

The historic farm, with its expansive views over Table Bay to Table Mountain, produces over 10 different wines of good to excellent top quality. In addition to the grapes from the Tygerberg Farm in Durbanville, a Shiraz from a special plot in Elgin is also bottled. Furthermore, the Graaff family has long owned a farm near Ceres on the West Coast, at Witzenberg. From these vineyards comes the Op die Berg line (on the mountain), which produces a Chardonnay, a Shiraz, and a Pinot Noir. All wines are crafted in a cool-climate style with great finesse and elegance. No wonder, as the vineyards are located almost 1000m above sea level.

De Grendel is proud to be carbon-negative. An evaluation of the farm revealed that the Durbanville winery is a net carbon sink, meaning the farm emits less CO2 into the air than it absorbs through vegetation growth. De Grendel is a proud member of the WWF Biodiversity and Wine Initiative, a pioneering partnership between the wine industry and the country's conservation sector.

Our De Grendel Magnum Deals

Magnum Hammer Deal
DE GRENDEL
Rubaiyat – Magnum – 2020
CHF 79.00 instead of CHF 119.00

Magnum Hammer Deal
DE GRENDEL
Elim Shiraz – Magnum – 2019
CHF 89.00 instead of CHF 125.00

De Grendel Top Red Wine

Rubaiyat – 2020

Awarded 5 Platter's stars, 95 Greg Sherwood and 92 James Suckling points, the Rubaiyat is De Grendel's flagship for good reason! The Rubaiyat was first bottled in 2006 when Cellarmaster Charles Hopkins was asked by Sir David Graaff to create an "iconic" wine for the estate.

A classically poetic Cape-Bordeaux-style blend, consisting of a quatrain of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. The Rubaiyat was named after Omar Khayyam's exquisite collection of 10th-century Persian love poems, which were very dear to the late Sir David. Each subsequent vintage features a different quatrain from the poem on the label, hence the blend of four grape varieties.

The wine has an intense red color. On the nose, it is mildly spicy with nuances of roasted black olives, wild fynbos, red berries, and black plums. The palate is rich with excellent concentration and intensity. The tannins are finely structured and well-integrated in this full-bodied wine, which boasts a long-lasting finish.

De Grendel has only been part of the KapWeine range since April 2020 and offers excellent wines across the board at a special price-pleasure ratio. One more reason for us to offer this magnificent wine as "Top Red Wine of the Year Promotion"!

91 Points by WINEMAG SA
5 Stars by Platter’s

Perfect with a Chateaubriand or a Boeuf Bourguignon.

Wine of the Year Promotion – from 6 bottles
DE GRENDEL
Rubaiyat – 2018
CHF 29.90 instead of CHF 44.00

De Grendel

Tasting Sets

Promotion – 6-bottle set
DE GRENDEL
VALUE SET MIXED

Promotion – 6-bottle set
DE GRENDEL
TOP SET MIXED

Promotion – 6-bottle set
DE GRENDEL
RED SET

De Grendel & KapWeine
From the Baron to the largest Swiss importer

Andy Zimmermann: "Good things take time... or so they say, don't they? Actually, that's not my motto... And oh boy, I took my time! The first time I tasted De Grendel wines was about 15 years ago at a wine fair. An unknown, "new" winery from the then rather unknown wine region of Durbanville - now also known as Cape Town Ward.
There were one or two wines that impressed me, and I was on the verge of taking a chance with the winery. For some reason, it didn't work out. A few more years passed, and I finally visited the winery, where I met Charles and De Villiers - the dream team. But even this time, I couldn't bring myself to start. For whatever reason...
Well, maybe third time's the charm? And yes, with De Grendel, it actually took three attempts before I was completely convinced.

Thus, we only started with the first order in early 2020, and it quickly became clear what a hidden gem De Grendel is and what exceptional qualities the wines reveal. Our customers quickly came to the same realization and gladly bought the "new" De Grendel wines. The rapid success and the great cooperation with the full support of the Graaff family ultimately led me to name the Pinotage "Red Wine of the Year 2023."

All prices in CHF incl. VAT. Daily price as of April 25, 2023.
Offers valid while supplies last. Errors and price changes reserved.