in the vineyard : Background
Specialising in the production of red wine only, Rust en Vrede has established itself as one of South Africa 's premium red wine estates. Full-bodied and complex, Rust en Vrede wines reflect the uniqueness of the Stellenbosch terroir. Rust en Vrede is proud to be part of a remarkable three hundred year old wine tradition and continues to persue the excellence synonymous with wines produced by Stellenbosch's private estates.
Climate
Mediterranean rainfall 650mm per annum. The vineyards are situated on north facing slopes at the end of the valley, hence the slightly warmer and moderate R&V climate, resulting in optimum grape berry ripeness. Situated in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, cool sea breezes help reduce the vineyard temperatures during the summer months, extending the ripening period and thus allowing for big well-structured wines to develop.
Vineyards
In-depth scientific research is embarked on before planting new vines -great care is taken to seek out optimum vineyard sites (aspect, soil type, altitude, etc.) that would be most suitable to a particular varietal genetic clone. The Vineyards are carefully trellised and the canopy managed in such a way so as to ensure optimum phenolic ripeness of the grapes. Two 'green harvests' are done annually whereby the crop is reduced to between 6-8 tons per hectare to intensify the flavours