Tyrrel Myburgh and his team at Joostenberg have released the new vintages of their Estate wines.

The Joostenberg farm is in the southern stretches of Paarl WO laying almost equidistant from Paarl Mountain, Simonsberg and Durbanville, with Paardeberg slightly further to the north. All of the fruit for their Estate wines comes from the organically-certified Joostenberg property. Tyrrel is the fifth generation of his family to farm the land.

The entire Joostenberg ethos is based around the farm; the land and the people who live and work on it. Sustainability is something that Tyrrel and his wife Anette reference often. They want to care for the land under their custodianship and endeavour to create wines that reflect the uniqueness of the terroir. Consequently the team ripped out the irrigation of mature vineyard blocks and certified the vineyards as organic a few years ago.

The wines are classically made, with an emphasis on terroir-expression. Tyrrel tends to shy away from techniques that result in aggressive wines. They are quintessential in their styles, approachable and offer serious drinkers and novices alike impressive value for money.

They make 6 Estate wines – wines that are grown, made and bottled on the property. Details of each are below.

A unique blend comprised of all the white varieties planted on Joostenberg Estate and represents a “snapshot” of the vintage and property.
Named after former Joostenberg matriarch and gardener extraordinaire, Gillian (née Fairhead) Myburgh.

Chenin Blanc 54%, Roussanne 23%, Viognier 13%, Alvarinho 10%

Fermented in terracota amphora (60%) and seasoned oak barrels (40%) and aged for 10 months.

Christian Eedes: “A compelling nose showing pear, white peach and citrus with notes of hay, fynbos and spice in the background. The palate is well balanced with good fruit concentration, bright acidity and a savoury finish. An elegant wine that should only gain from time in bottle. 91pts“

When oxen were used as draft animals the youngest, least experienced ox was positioned at the rear of the team. As he got stronger and more skilled he worked his way to the front, hence the Afrikaans saying “agteros kom ook in die kraal“, meaning “the hind ox gets there eventually”. These grapes come from the oldest vineyard on the farm, planted in 1982. This lovingly tended vineyard was under-valued for many years before its real potential was noticed.

From a single, dry-farmed vineyard planted in 1982. The soil is clay-rich and relatively shallow resulting in low vigour, small vines. In order to optimise the influence of terroir the vineyards are managed according to organic principles (certified).

Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed. Spontaneous fermentation and then maturation in seasoned barrels (20%), clay amphorae (20%) and concrete eggs (60%).

Christian Eedes: “Top notes of floral perfume and fynbos before pear and white peach while the palate shows pure fruit, bright acidity with some pithy character to the finish. Light in body with good clarity and drive, this is a wine that’s all about subtlety rather than massive fruit power. 91pts“

The best Syrah vines on Joostenberg are planted in the rockiest soils hence the name “Klippe Kou”, which translated from Afrikaans means “chewing rocks” (literally) or “enduring hardship” (figuratively). Although the vines struggle in the first few years after planting, once the roots are well established these rocky soils produce intensely flavoured grapes and characterful wine.

Grapes were hand-picked, 70% were destemmed and the remainder left as whole clusters. Natural fermentation occurred in small, open fermenters. 16 months maturation in seasoned 500L barrels.

Christian Eedes: “Red and black berries, smoked meat, pepper and a hint of vanilla on the nose. The palate is medium bodied with a good core of fruit, bright acidity and firm yet fine tannins. 91pts“

The first Myburgh to farm at Joostenberg was Philipus Albertus Myburgh and five generations later his offspring are still tilling the soil and acting as custodians of this little patch of earth. This is a classically styled Cabernet leaning towards the Old World.

Grapes were hand-picked and de-stemmed. Fermentation occurred in small open-topped tanks with regular punch-downs. Maturation occurred in small, French-oak “hogsheads” (300L barrels) for a period of 22 months (17% new). Includes 8% Merlot.

Christian Eedes: “Red and black berries, crushed leaves and earth on the nose while the palate is medium bodied and very nicely balanced, the finish long and dry. Classically styled, it has a moderate alcohol of 13.5% which serves it very well. 93pts“

This wine has become one of Joostenberg’s most popular and recognised wines. A huge amount of effort, both in the vineyard and the winery, is put into it every year. It is very dependent on weather conditions and this means the volume produced and the characteristics of the wine vary greatly from year to year.

Grapes were sourced from a 30 year old, organically farmed, unirrigated Chenin Blanc vineyard on Joostenberg. 2019 was a dry year, the yield was small and the vineyards were exceptionally healthy. The “noble rot” infections were sporadic and it took 4 very careful pickings to capture the golden essence. Only bunches that were raisined or infected by noble rot were selected.

The grapes were whole-bunch pressed and the resulting juice was fermented, using natural yeast. Fermentation was allowed to carry on until it stopped on its own accord. Fermentation and maturation occurred in oak barrels. The new barrel component was unusually high (33%).

Christian Eedes: “Attractive aromatics with a top note of potpourri before apple, peach and apricot plus spice. The palate has great fruit density and comes across as pleasantly thick textured although not short of freshness, the finish long and savoury. 93pts“

This is the premium red wine from the estate and every effort has been taken to ensure that it is a genuine expression of the Joostenberg terroir. Bakermat, meaning “birthplace” or “cradle” in Dutch, pays homage to Joostenberg, home of the Myburgh family for 6 generations.

Syrah 39%, Cabernet Sauvignon 34%, Mourvédre 19% and Touriga Nacional 8%.

All the grapes were hand-picked. Cabernet Sauvignon was de-stemmed while the Syrah, Mourvedre and Touriga Nacional were partially de- stemmed. Fermentation took place in open-topped tanks. Maturation occurred in 500L French oak barrels (20% new) for 20 months.

Christian Eedes: “Red and black berries, fresh herbs, fynbos and white pepper on the nose while the palate displays pure fruit, fresh acidity and crunchy tannins. Plenty of detail, the finish long and dry. 91pts“