Rustenberg Wines

Rustenberg sits in a valley of the Simonsberg Mountains in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Wine has been produced here since 1682, and the estate is now dedicated to making wines predominantly from Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as a range of others.

The estate was purchased in 1892 by Sir Jacob Barry, after a period in which the vineyards had been abandoned to vine disease and recession. He began to rejuvinate the vineyards by grafting surviving vines onto American rootstock and planting Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vines he had brought from France. In 1941, Rustenberg was acquired by the Barlow family, who at the same time purchased the Schoongezicht Estate which had once been a part of Rustenberg. The Barlow family still owns and operates the estate.

Rustenberg covers 880 hectares (2170 acres) of biodiverse land, 110ha (271 acres) of which is under vine. The size of the property means there is a wealth of terroir for the vineyards, and the plots are scattered across the estate. Grape varieties are carefully selected based on the aspect and soils of each individual plot, which are all vinified separately before blending. A small nursery has been built on site to try and expand the number of varietal clones, in order to diversify the Rustenberg range in the future.

Rustenberg makes several wines across three ranges. Two site-specific wines, the Peter Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon and the Five Soldiers Chardonnay, are the estate's top wines, both worthy of time in the cellar. The Flagship range consists of the John X Merriman Bordeaux Blend, a single-vineyard Syrah and a barrel-fermented Chardonnay. Rustenberg also make a range of regional wines, which includes a straw wine, a Petit Verdot rosé, and a Sauvignon Blanc.