
Serious and well structured, this has weight, focus and fruit intensity...
Tim Atkin MWThe flagship wine of Rust en Vrede, Estate Wine is a blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot in a full-bodied and complex wine that truly reflects its terroir.
Aromas of blackberry are backed by hints of fresh leather, tobacco leaf and dark chocolate. The palate replicates the nose with earthy flavours brought forward by dark fruits, leading to a lengthy finish with soft, velvety tannins. A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Syrah, 9% Merlot.
Technical analysis
ALCOHOL
14.6 %
RESIDUAL SUGAR
3.4 g/L
pH
3.57
ACIDITY
5.8 g/L
ORIGIN
South Africa
WINEMAKER
Coenie Snyman
VARIETY
Red Blend
BOTTLED DATE
February 2018
TIME IN OAK
22 months
MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION
Yes
CLOSURE
Cork
BOTTLE SIZE
75cl
REGION
Stellenbosch
VEGETARIAN
Yes
VEGAN
Yes
Vintage conditions
Extremely dry and warm conditions in the summer months resulted in drip irrigation being used, with a maximum rainfall the preceding winter of 469mm, much lower than the average 712mm. It was a vintage that was monitored extremely closely in the vineyard as the heat and dry conditions resulted in reduced berry size and earlier ripening. Harvest started on 3rd February, a week earlier than 2015. The 2016 vintage is well structured with a lighter body and linear fruit expression.
Vinification details
Grapes were de-stemmed, crushed and pumped into open top fermentation tanks where they underwent a 21-day maceration period involving a 7-day fermentation with pump-overs and manual punch-downs 2-4 times daily. Barrel maturation took place in 100% French oak barrels (40% new, 40% 2nd fill, 20% 3rd fill), 30% in 500L and 70% in 300L barrels for 22 months.
Awards
Platter: 5*
Tim Atkin MW: 92 pts
Green credentials
Accredited Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) estate.
Contact us to discuss
The flagship wine of Rust en Vrede, Estate Wine is a blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot in a full-bodied and complex wine that truly reflects its terroir.
Crimson red. Gentle floral aromas of violets and jasmine are backed by hints of fresh leather and tobacco leaf, mulberries and forest floor. The palate replicates the nose with earthy flavours brought forward by dark fruits including blueberries and blackcurrant, all integrating well to create a lengthy finish with soft, velvety tannins. A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Syrah, 9% Merlot.
Technical analysis
ALCOHOL
14.6 %
RESIDUAL SUGAR
3.2 g/L
pH
3.57
ACIDITY
5.8 g/L
ORIGIN
South Africa
WINEMAKER
Coenie Snyman
VARIETY
Red Blend
HARVEST DATE
February 2015
BOTTLED DATE
February 2017
TIME IN OAK
18 months
MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION
Yes
CLOSURE
Cork
BOTTLE SIZE
75cl
REGION
Stellenbosch
VEGETARIAN
Yes
VEGAN
Yes
Vintage conditions
Early bud break and very dry conditions in the months following resulted in irrigation management being used. This led to a short and challenging harvest. Harvest volume was normal, up by 0.8%. The 2015 vintage is well structured with a lighter body and linear fruit expression.
Vinification details
The length of maceration varied according to the variety, with Cabernet Sauvignon having 31 days; Syrah, 21 days and Merlot, 14 days. Following fermentation, they were also vinified separately. Malolactic fermentation took place in French oak barrels where it then matured for 18 months, followed by a further 12 months in the bottle before release.
Awards
Platter: 5*
Tim Atkin MW: 94 pts
JamesSuckling.com:91 pts
Green credentials
Accredited Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) estate.
Contact us to discuss

A broad, plush, lavishly-oaked cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah and a little Merlot.
Tim Atkin MWThe flagship wine of Rust en Vrede, Estate Wine is a blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot in a full-bodied and complex wine that truly reflects its terroir.
Deep crimson red. Aromas of sour cherry, black forest and Christmas cake along with notes of perfumed jasmine complement a palate of sweet spices, dark fruits and paprika. The finish is long, savoury and well-structured. In 2014, a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Syrah and 7% Merlot.
Technical analysis
ALCOHOL
14.8 %
RESIDUAL SUGAR
3.4 g/L
pH
3.50
ACIDITY
5.9 g/L
ORIGIN
South Africa
WINEMAKER
Coenie Snyman
VARIETY
Red Blend
BOTTLED DATE
February 2016
TIME IN OAK
18 months
MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION
Yes
CLOSURE
Cork
BOTTLE SIZE
75cl
REGION
Stellenbosch
VEGETARIAN
Yes
VEGAN
Yes
Vintage conditions
Picking for the Estate vineyard fruit started a bit later than usual in the last week of February and went on until 15th April. The vintage was one of much larger proportions than previously, coming in at 44% higher than average. Due to a warmer spring, fruit set was good and led to high yields. The last two weeks of harvest brought rain which mimicked that of a typical Bordeaux season; these rains were consistent and helped ripen the fruit which led to an elegant vintage.
Vinification details
The length of maceration varied according to the variety, with Cabernet Sauvignon having 31 days; Syrah, 21 days and Merlot, 14 days. Following fermentation, they were also vinified separately. Malolactic fermentation took place in French oak barrels where it then matured for 18 months, followed by a further 12 months in the bottle before release.
Awards
Tim Atkin MW: 93 pts
Green credentials
Accredited Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) estate.
Contact us to discuss
The flagship wine of Rust en Vrede, Estate Wine is a blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot in a full-bodied and complex wine that truly reflects its terroir.
A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Shiraz and 11% Merlot, this is deep crimson red. Tobacco, cedar and spice are prominent on the nose with blueberry and hints of creamy cheesecake. The palate shows classic blackberry and plum flavours with a dark chocolate core, approachable tannins and a dry, lengthy finish.
Technical analysis
ALCOHOL
15.2 %
RESIDUAL SUGAR
3.0 g/L
pH
3.62
ACIDITY
6.2 g/L
ORIGIN
South Africa
WINEMAKER
Coenie Snyman
VARIETY
Red Blend
TIME IN OAK
18 months
SULPHUR
Total: 72 Free: 23
MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION
Yes
CLOSURE
Cork
BOTTLE SIZE
75cl
REGION
Stellenbosch
Vinification details
Primary fermentation took seven days, followed by a 21 day maceration, during which time it was pumped over and the cap manually punched down four times a day. Following fermentation, the Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot clones were vinified separately. Malolactic fermentation took place in French oak barrels where it then matured for 18 months, followed by a further 12 months in the bottle before release.
Awards
Tim Atkin MW: 93 pts
Green credentials
Accredited Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) estate.
Contact us to discuss
The flagship wine of Rust en Vrede, Estate Wine is a blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot in a full-bodied and complex wine that truly reflects its terroir.
A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Shiraz and 8% Merlot. Deep crimson red. The Shiraz is very prominent on the nose, with notes of cedar and cumin in the fore, backed up by cigar box and tobacco aromas. On the palate, showing more of an Old World style with good complexity and classic blackberry, plum and mulberry flavours.
Technical analysis
ALCOHOL
15.1 %
RESIDUAL SUGAR
2.2 g/L
pH
3.54
ACIDITY
5.9 g/L
ORIGIN
South Africa
WINEMAKER
Coenie Snyman
VARIETY
Red Blend
TIME IN OAK
18 months
SULPHUR
Total: 88 Free: 23
MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION
Yes
CLOSURE
Cork
BOTTLE SIZE
75cl
REGION
Stellenbosch
Vinification details
Primary fermentation took seven days, followed by a 21 day maceration during which time it was pumped over and the cap was manually punched down four times a day. Following fermentation, the Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot clones are vinified separately. Malolactic fermentation took place in 85% French and 15% American oak barrels where it then matured for 18 months, followed by a further 12 months in the bottle before release.
Awards
Tim Atkin MW: 91 pts
eRobertParker.com: 91 pts
Green credentials
Accredited Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) estate.
Contact us to discuss