Born of a Belgian father and a German mother, Christopher van Dieren studied winemaking from 1984 in Bordeaux. He emigrated to South Africa in 1990, and worked for several wineries in the Stellenbosch region, culminating in Slaley, where he made South Africa’s first-ever five-star Shiraz, the Slaley 1998.

He took over winemaking responsibilities at Cloof a week before the start of the 2002 vintage. Christopher’s European heritage has been an important influence on the style of the wines produced from Cloof’s intensely concentrated fruit.

His regimen ensures that only optimally ripe fruit is harvested, and that barrel-ageing (always in French oak) supports, rather than overwhelms, the fruit. His handling of Pinotage is particularly good, in that he not only eliminates the negatives sometimes associated with the variety, but also makes wonderfully enjoyable wines.

His first Pinotage made here, the 2002 Cloof Pinotage, has won two gold medals in 2004.

Christopher has implemented his experience in the south of France, making a delicious dry rosé from Cinsaut, Shiraz and Pinotage.

Largely a white wine and rosé drinker himself, Christopher prefers making red wines. He regards the fruit quality he’s working with at Cloof as being superior to anything he’s experienced anywhere else in the world.

We eagerly await the release of the barrel-aged wines from his second and third vintages at Cloof.