2025 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.48%
Residual Sugar 2.3 g/L
pH 3.3
Total Acidity 5.5 g/L
Calories (estimated) 115 kcal / glass
150ml glass115 kcal
750ml bottle575 kcal
Grape Varieties Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc100%
Drinking Window 1 to 3 years from vintage
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite, Hutton/tukulu; shale
Elevation 550.0 meters
Fermentation Vessels Stainless Steel
Pressing Method Crushed, De-Stemmed And Pressed
Lees Aging 2 months
Bottling Date August 2024
Fining Agents Isinglass & Bentonite
Tasting Notes
tropical fruits, pineapple, passion fruit, fresh, crisp
2023 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.45%
Residual Sugar 2.5 g/L
pH 3.37
Total Acidity 5.8 g/L
Calories (estimated) 115 kcal / glass
150ml glass115 kcal
750ml bottle575 kcal
Grape Varieties Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc100%
Drinking Window 1 to 3 years from vintage
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite, Hutton/tukulu, Shale
Elevation 550.0 meters
Grapes Picked February 2023
Fermentation Vessels Stainless Steel
Pressing Method Crushed, De-Stemmed And Pressed
Lees Aging 2 months
Bottling Date July 2023
Fining Agents Isinglass, Bentonite
Production Details Grown at some of the highest altitudes that vineyards are grown at in the Stellenbosch region; just over 550m above sea level, right against Simonsberg Mountain. The cooling effect of altitude and the oceanic breeze blowing off False Bay and Table Bay which are both within line of sight of the vineyards, combined with the vineyards being planted on West facing slopes make this ideal to produce a full flavoured, more tropical style, Sauvignon Blanc. Made without the influence of oak the wines are aged on their lees for further palate weight and complexity to balance out the wines' natural acidity. The 2023 vintage marked another vintage influenced by the La Niña weather phenomenon. The Autumn of 2022 was dry with below average and variable rainfall throughout the Winter. Spring too was dry, but cool, however, a massive cold front in December brought much needed rain, but increased disease pressure. This lead up to harvest set the scene for a challenging vintage and lower crop sizes. The early heatwaves experienced in January, as opposed to usually occurring in February, brought the white cultivars into line with their average picking dates and all of the white grapes were picked before the unseasonal rains experienced in late February and March. The cooler growing season and lower crops resulted in good acidity and concentration to the wines, while the warm lead up to harvest has given white wines from this vintage a burst of ripe fruit. All things considered, it was another good white wine vintage despite the challenging growing season. Trellising/Pruning System: VSP, 2 Node Spur Pruned. Irrigation Type: Minimal Drip Irrigation.
Tasting Notes
tropical fruits, pineapple, passion fruit, fresh, crisp
2022 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5%
Residual Sugar 3.2 g/L
pH 3.4
Total Acidity 6.1 g/L
Calories (estimated) 115 kcal / glass
150ml glass115 kcal
750ml bottle575 kcal
Grape Varieties Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc100%
Drinking Window 1 to 3 years from vintage
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite, Hutton/tukulu, Shale
Elevation 550.0 meters
Orientation West
Fermentation Vessels Stainless Steel
Lees Aging 2 months
Bottling Date July 2022
Fining Agents Isinglass, Bentonite
Production Details Grown at some of the highest altitudes in the Stellenbosch region, just over 550m above sea level, against Simonsberg Mountain. The cooling effect of altitude and oceanic breeze, combined with West-facing slopes, produce a full-flavored, tropical style Sauvignon Blanc. Made without oak influence, aged on lees for 2-3 months for palate weight and complexity. The winter of 2021 was very cold and wet following a warm autumn. Bud burst was late, and cold, wet weather continued into Spring, requiring careful disease and canopy management. Cool weather extended until mid-December, resulting in healthy acid levels. Abundance of water increased yields. From mid-December, weather warmed with three heatwaves in January and one in February, helping fruit ripen fully. Picked slightly later than average. 2022 is an excellent white wine vintage with freshness from the cool growing season and fruit expression from a warm end to the vintage, with moderate alcohols due to higher yields. The marathon vintage ended in late April, the biggest and longest in Rustenberg's history. Grapes were hand-picked in February 2022, then crushed, de-stemmed, and pressed. Fermented in stainless steel tanks with cultured yeast.
Tasting Notes
tropical fruits, pineapple, passion fruit, fresh, crisp
2021 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5%
Residual Sugar 3.3 g/L
pH 3.29
Total Acidity 6.2 g/L
Calories (estimated) 115 kcal / glass
150ml glass115 kcal
750ml bottle575 kcal
Grape Varieties Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc100%
Drinking Window 1 to 3 years from vintage
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite, Hutton/tukulu, Shale
Elevation 550.0 meters
Orientation West
Grapes Picked February 2021
Fermentation Vessels Stainless Steel
Pressing Method Destemmed
Lees Aging 2 months
Bottling Date July 2021
Fining Agents Isinglass, Bentonite
Production Details The 2021 vintage was produced with the challenges of COVID-19 ever present. The winter of 2020 started late after a warm autumn and was cold with plenty of rain. The cool and wet conditions extended well into spring, through summer and much of the harvest season. The result of these conditions was slow, steady, stress-free vineyard growth and fruit development. White grape yields were lower than average due to the impact of the weather during critical stages in fruit development. The white wines from the vintage ripened two weeks later than in 2020 and achieved full ripeness at lower sugar levels; producing wines with lower alcohols, excellent acidity and brilliant flavour development. Yields were higher than average in the reds and the slow ripening season saw excellent flavour and tannin development. These well-structured wines with moderate alcohols and good acidity should show plenty of potential to age. Made without the influence of oak the wines are aged on their lees for further palate weight and complexity to balance out the wines' natural acidity.
Tasting Notes
tropical fruits, melon, gooseberry, pineapple, passion fruit
Critics Ratings Michelangelo International Wine Awards: Gold Medal
Michelangelo International Wine AwardsGold Medal
Tim Atkin SA Report90 Points
2020 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5%
Residual Sugar 2.9 g/L
pH 3.25
Total Acidity 6 g/L
Calories (estimated) 115 kcal / glass
150ml glass115 kcal
750ml bottle575 kcal
Grape Varieties Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc100%
Drinking Window 1 to 3 years from vintage
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite, Hutton/tukulu, Shale
Elevation 550.0 meters
Orientation West
Grapes Picked February 2020
Fermentation Vessels Stainless Steel
Lees Aging 2 months
Bottling Date July 2020
Fining Agents Isinglass, Bentonite
Production Details The Rustenberg Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc is grown at some of the highest altitudes that vineyards are grown at in the Stellenbosch region; just over 550m above sea level, right against the Simonsberg Mountain. The cooling effect of altitude and the oceanic breeze blowing off False Bay and Table Bay which are both within line of sight of the vineyards, combined with the vineyards being planted on West facing slopes make this ideal for the production of a full flavoured, more tropical styled Sauvignon Blanc. Made without the influence of oak the wines are aged on their lees for further palate weight and complexity to balance out the wines' natural acidity. The 2020 vintage was a good vintage produced under the spectre of the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the globe. Fortunately the harvest was not impacted on Rustenberg by the government-sanctioned lockdowns, allowing all fruit to be picked and processed when ripe. A good winter in 2019 saw a return to average rainfall for the year. Two unusual weather events in the growing season, a large rainstorm and a heat wave, impacted some varietals flowering and berry set, however, in the context of the entire vintage these had a minor impact. Crop levels were up by 15% from the 2019 vintage, which saw a return to yields being average to slightly above average for most varietals. Quality wise, the white wines have superb acids and more moderate alcohols with wonderful fruit concentration, while the reds tend to be more medium-bodied with moderate alcohols, good freshness and supple tannins, potentially to be enjoyed earlier. Extraction method: Crushed, De-Stemmed and Pressed. Yeast: Cultured Active Dry Wine Yeast. Irrigation type: Minimal Drip Irrigation. Trellising/Pruning System: VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioned), 2 Node Spur Pruned.
Tasting Notes
tropical fruits, melon, gooseberry, pineapple, passion fruit
Shop prices
| Reference | Vintage / size | Price / bottle | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine-SearcherLWIN 1403831 | — | — | wine-searcher.com ↗ |
Producer Information
Website
Address
Rustenberg Wines, Rustenberg Road, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
Phone
+27 21 809 1200
Email
Owner
Barlow Family (Simon, Rozanne, Murray)
Cellarmaster
Murray Barlow