Wine of the Week- Rustenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

By now, most people who follow us know we love South African wines and this gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon from Rustenberg in Simonsberg-Stellenbosch on South Africa’s Cape is our latest discovery. Rich in dark berry fruit, good tannins and a fine structure, it is a winner. The vintage  matured in French oak for 15 months. Serve with red meats – it is the perfect pairing – or sip by itself. If you love Cabs, you will want to try this one! It is imported by Indigo Wine Group in Venice, FL. Go to www.rustenberg.co.za

Wine of the Week: Rustenberg Stellenbosch Saugivnon Blanc 2013

Rustenberg has been producing South African wines since 1682 – a long and rich tradition. By 1781, the winery made 3,000 cases. The estate was purchased in 1941 by Pamela and Peter Barlow and has remained in the family ever since.

This 2013 Sauvignon Blanc offers freshness, acidity and balance with upfront fruit. The wine offers hints of green pepper, gooseberry and even asparagus. The altitude and  location next to Simonsberg Mountain combine with a west facing slope. The grapes are full flavored and tropical in style. No oak is used in the production of the wine.

Spring of 2013 brought later ripening and a cool growing season. The wine is medium bodied, elegant and crisp with 13.56 ABV. There are underlying notes of passion fruit and pineapple. This is a perfect wine for a hot summer day, alone or accompanying a meal. It is imported by Indigo Wine Group, Venice, Fl. Visit www.rustenberg.co.za. 

Wine of the Week – Rustenberg John X Merriam 2010

This Bordeaux Blend from South Africa is made by a winery dating to 1682 when the farmland was granted to Roelof Pasman, a German settler.
Today, it’s under the ‘caretaker-ship’ of Simon Barlow, whose parents, Peter and Pamela bought it in 1914 and ran it until 1987. Simon is committed to “playing in the highest quality international wine stakes” where “passion and total dedication to quality are absolute in both vineyard and cellar.”
The wine, named for a former owner of the farm who purchased it in 1892, revitalized it and was one of the first to promote wine tourism before such a thing existed, is a stunning Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and small amounts of Petite Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.
Grown on the steep slopes of Stellenbosch Mountain, the grapes are harvested and the wine is aged in French oak barrels. Fruit-forward with an intense aroma, it is plummy with elegant tannins, soft, yet rich. Go to http://www.indigowinegroup.com/rustenberg/#2974-tab

Wine of the Week – Rustenberg 1682

Rustenberg, from Stellenbosch in South Africa, markets the wine under the Ida or Rustenberg 1682 labels. Designed for easy, accessible drinking, the wine is a blend comprised of 62.1 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 21.7 percent Chardonnay, 7.6 percent Semillon, 15.6 percent Vigonier, 1.9 percent Grenache Blanc and 1.1 percent Roussane. They blend together, offering fruity notes of melon, passion fruit, and peach – a bouquet of delicate flavors. The vineyard dates to 1682 and was purchased by the Barlow Family in 1941 and lovingly passed on to the next generation which, in 1981, reinvigorated it with a new winery and imported virus-free clones and grapes to replant the vineyards. As South Africa left behind the isolation of the Apartheid years, Rustenberg took its place, growing grapes on the slopes, creating blends according to the vintage, and last year, naming Indigo Wine Group as its US importer. The wine is available in MA from Ruby Wines. Go to http://www.rustenberg.co.za