Rust en Vrede Estate Vineyards Syrah 2021

Estate grown grapes are hand-harvested and partially destemmed, with 15% of the grapes kept as whole bunches. Fermentation takes place in open-top fermenters with manual punchdowns and pump-overs performed 2 to 4 times daily. Maceration continues for 14 to 21 days. Parcels and clones are vinified separately. Wine is matured in 500L French oak barrels for 18 months using a combination of 16% new and 84% seasoned oak.

Cool, wet conditions during the winter of 2020 replenished water reserves and provided sufficient water to saturate soils and return water levels to pre-drought levels. This resulted in very vigorous growth in the vineyards, meaning careful vineyard management was required, especially to curb vigorous growth during spring. Flowering and fruit set conditions were ideal, with an average crop set, followed by a moderate growing season. We then experienced a cool ripening season in 2021, with late ripening and minimal precipitation during the harvest period. Ideal conditions that allowed grapes to ripen slowly, retaining good acidity while developing phenolics.

18 months

100% Syrah

This wine will pair brilliantly with a steak, salty chips and a garden salad.

Best Cabernet Sauvignon in the Winemag Prescient Top 20 Wines South Africa 2021 Report.

Established in 1694, Rust en Vrede is proud to be part of a remarkable three-hundred- year-old wine tradition. Since 1977 the Engelbrecht family has specialized in the exclusive production of red wine, with the focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Proprietor Jean Engelbrecht has worked to maintain Rust en Vrede as one of South Africa’s premium red wine estates, with full-bodied and complex wines that reflect the uniqueness of its Stellenbosch terroir. Rust en Vrede is a warmer microcosm in the Helderberg area with a Mediterranean climate. This is why we specialize in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah which lend themselves to full-bodied wines with powerful structure. Approximately 34% of the Estate is planted with Syrah. Five clones of this variety are grown here: SH1, SH21, SH9, SH99 and SH470. Our north-facing vineyards are planted in Tukulu soil, derived from Helderberg granite and Table Mountain sandstone with small deposits of ironstone, showing good water retention that is carefully monitored and supplemented by drip irrigation. A higher amount of sandstone allows good drainage, resulting in weaker growth and more intense wines.