With this aviation-themed brand, owner and widely travelled winemaker Danie Morkel invites you to ‘experience wines from a different perspective’, through a collection of quality bottlings with personality and labels that each tell a backstory with charm and authenticity. Danie’s father and namesake is the founder of Diemerskraal Airfield, sited on the family farm near Wellington, and the converted milkshed where Danie crafts the wines (and the separately listed Roodekrantz ones) is so near the action, you can ‘hear the novice parachutists tame their vertigo’. Sibling Philip co-directs the fruit sourcing from home vines and suppliers.
Fuselage Wines range
Category: Red blends, with pinotage
Placeholder name for unusual blend, pinotage leads at 60% but tannat shares the profile. 2021 dense & meaty, plummy fruit, abundant spice from sojourn in barrel. Tannins a lithe support, the texture streamlined, accessible, yet can age. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Fuselage Wines range
Category: White blends, wooded, dry
5-way 2021 deftly blended, so each variety has a voice: body from grenache blanc (35%), stonefruit, spice, crisp acid from roussanne & chenin (20% each), floral lift & breadth from viognier (20%), muscat-like seasoning ex dab muscadel. Richly textured, though dry, very long finish. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Fuselage Wines range
Category: Chenin blanc wooded, dry
Swartland vines dating from 1983. Stonefruit & apple, 2021 is fruity chenin at its attractive best, has body & length, small portion oaked for a savoury nuance at the end. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Testflight range
Category: White blends, wooded, dry
Near-equal chenin & chardonnay, barrel fermented & aged, 2020 showcases the best of both varieties, stonefruit & yellow apple, lovely oat biscuit savoury seam, ends tangy-fresh. Generous, flavour-packed blend of Paarl & Swartland fruit. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Testflight range
Category: Muscadel, white, unfortified
Something unusual, an oaked, unfortified muscat. Long lees contact, barrel ageing haven’t tamed slender 2021’s aromatics, still intense & forthcoming. Savoury notes more in the flavour than perfume, a ginger biscuit seam, finishing dry. 12% alc. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Staggerwing range
Category: Chenin blanc wooded, dry
From 1974 vines, long post-ferment on primary lees, then ageing in barrel, giving 2020 bruised apple & oatmeal styling throughout. Impression of richness, creamy fullness, enough acidity & flavour to balance 14.5% alc. Long finish. Should age interestingly. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Staggerwing range
Category: Cinsaut
Paarl old-vine fruit spent 10 months in seasoned barrels, as all ranges except rosé. Wonderfully perfumed 2020 combines red berries & spice, has some smoky notes, dried herbs. Varietal light texture but packed with flavour & interest, tannin a supple support. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Fuselage Wines range
Category: Shiraz/syrah
Everything a shiraz should be: dark toned, smoky, leathery from oaking, a dried herb nuance, with juicy, smooth texture that’s a pleasure to drink. 2021’s lithe tannins are dry, smooth as a successful side-slipped landing. Restrained 13% alc. Some ageing potential here. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Fuselage Wines range
Category: Grenache noir
Ethereal rose & strawberry fragrances matched by delicacy of 2021 Wellington grenache noir’s palate; excellent poise, acid verve & dryness. Barrelling provides white pepper & scrub extras. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
Fuselage Wines range
Category: Red blends, shiraz/syrah-based
Shiraz with 25% tannat, giving 2021 a meaty-gamey note, dark-toned plums & some scrub. Well spiced by oaking but the palate is smoothly succulent, no edges, tannins a hidden support. WO Wellington-Paarl. More
Wine tasted by Christine Rudman & Cathy van Zyl.
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