GG_N50_FR

DTK WAS FOUNDED IN 1962 AS A
CO-OPERATIVE FOR BULK WINE
PRODUCTION AND CELEBRATED
ITS 60 TH BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR
wine producing areas in the Cape. Additionally, the Breedekloof Makers Initiative,
founded eight years ago by the younger winemakers, has also seen great success
in promoting Chenin Blanc as a local value proposition.
From Cape Town international airport, the route cuts through the Huguenot
tunnel, with motorists passing the belly of the towering Du Toitskloof mountains
through this impressive tunnel built by Italian prisoners of war between 1942 and
1945. The tunnel was completed in 1948, providing a safer journey between Paarl
and Worcester than facing the treacherous Du Toitskloof Pass. Needless to say,
majestic, often misty mountain views await travellers on the other side, its winter
snowcaps contesting the argument of a «warm» region, followed by waterfalls
meandering down its slopes in spring. Not far from here, Du Toitskloof Wines
(TDK) awaits.
Ed Beukes, export and marketing manager, explains how they have shifted the
brand focus to DTK, of which Du Toitskloof is now one of its brands, along with
Lands End and Quest. “Our strategy is to offer consumers something expected, like
Chenin Blanc, and something completely unexpected like Nebbiolo.”
As an ode to the Italian prisoners of war, this Italian cultivar has found its home
in this valley, scoring a whopping 90 points from Gilbert & Gaillard’s expert wine
tasting panel. The Du Toitskloof Nebbiolo 2020 is one of six varietal Nebbiolos
found in South Africa, deeper in colour as one would expect from an Italian
Nebbiolo with softer, lighter tannins and a seductive medley of red fruit and florals.
“We love that it challenges people’s perception of the valley,” Beukes continues.
Thirty years after its inception in 1962, DTK entered the packaged wine sector,
following three decades of building a reputation for consistent quality. They main-
76 WINTER 2022 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE