Rust en Vrede Wine Estate — Attraction in Stellenbosch Local Municipality

Classy and glossy estate, it all shines around. Since stepping through the gate up to main entrance, everything neat and clean, sharp. At the wine tasting dozen of workers running after clients apparently. A great presentation. Substance?

Let’s start saying we - two of us, stepping into the tasting room mid afternoon during festive season - had the impression that everyone around was busy not after clients and it was not peak time. In spite of tables out half empty, restaurant shut, no one out of the aforementioned dozen staff checked on us wanting to get acquainted of sitting & tasting.

It took some time and effort to catch the attention of someone and to get harbor in the garden. At that point we started questioning and that’s exactly where one might start questioning.

They claim to offer fine dining and fine wines. Not cheap, then. But there is serious intent on perfection here, and any tasting goes through protocol and storytelling to impress.

Pity it does not deliver a thing. Soon customers will discover tasting limited to second-rate wines, the good ones (their admission) just for sales. Huh, that’s stellar marketing for some flawless, well-renowned, majestic, wine farm whose wines are sooo good to split them into a premium line and a commercial one.

Rust en Vrede Wine does not belong to this class of farms, with or without the flock of honeyish reviews by self-styled local guides on here.

The wine selection comes with Shiraz, Merlot, Red Estate as flagships (incl. their ‘single wine yard’ versions) it turns out being the worst red labels in the Stellenboch area so far second only to ….

Reds either lack character or excess in acidity. Their ‘beautifully crafted blend, of the cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot’ - bottle of R600 / € 30 for the record - it’s stoned (closed up) rich in acidity and tannins.

In addition, we had the opportunity to taste the premium line - yes, we made it thanks to a nice and wise assistant keen to - and being vaguely poured in our glasses after we almost spitted out their bush-league labels.

The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and the Single Vineyard Cab come empty, flat, missing body, structure, finishing. It is not even a Cab almost. The sad side of story is that price range of Rust en Vrede wines turns to be one of the most expensive when compared to similar labels / competitors in the area.

For short, one mark to the approach and quality of wines, the Estate itself has some nice views around the area even though with such wine tasting it won’t ever come to our mind to return.

Place for gentrified clients. Other than that, if one won’t even look / understand the cultivars being poured in his glass,...

We chanced a visit here (you can’t book) and were blown away by the location, service and food. The place was pumping (4 January, still peak season) and were told that we could wait on the lawn or at the tables around the corner. Considering the beautiful location, we were more than happy to, but we barely waited 5 minutes before we got were seated outside in the main al fresco dining area. Xavier, our waiter, looked quite young but was by no means inexperienced - swift and attentive all the way without being intrusive. There are only three lunch options on the menu, which initially we thought odd but when we spied a nearby table’s order it was clear why. When a restaurant has a limited menu you can expect that the dishes they serve they do extraordinarily well. The choices were: Seared salmon, greens and baby potatoes, and pepper-crusted fillet and sirloin, both served with fries. Both the fish and the steaks were outstanding! I would have liked a few more baby potatoes with my fish since the fries were so generous, but other than that absolutely no complaints. Our German friends said it was the best steak they’d ever had. For a wine estate that specialises in reds, their Donkiesbaai Chenin is fantastic. After lunch we ordered another bottle of the Chenin and rolled down to the sprawling lawns for a leisurely afternoon. We mentioned ice to one of the waiters and they promptly came to bring it down to us. What I loved most about this experience was how we got to enjoy the estate for a good few hours at our own speed. A lot of wine estates in the Western Cape have airs and pretension, making you feel like you can’t sit back and relax - but not this one. Honestly the best experience I have had at a wine estate to date. Must remember to take pics of the...

A number of years ago, we stumbled upon Rust en Vrede after leaving Ernie Els very hungry and in high dudgeon at the cost/value ratio. At Rust and Vrede, we began with a wine tasting and, upon being told that the wine tasting would be gratis if we opted to have the Chalmar sirloin lunch, we were simply too greedy to resist. We accepted the offer. This turned out to be an excellent decision: the meat was beautifully tender and tasty, the salad came up to expectation, and the chips were perfection. Furthermore, our waiter must have been new to the game (we now realise) because she practically filled our wine glasses to the brim. Consequently I left there in a state of high glee and giggled my way back home (no, I was not driving). Yesterday, we returned to Rust en Vrede, having finally remembered its name and figured out its locality (very simple: turn off the R44 at the Annandale intersectionright at the end of the road that passes Root 44's entrance). We discovered that the menu has doubled (there are now all of TWO dishes on the menu, both exceptionally delicious and well executed - the Chalmar sirloin remains, and is joined by Salmon and asparagus). The wine is still very good, though no longer quite so copious; and the beauty of the venue remains unspoilt. No dessert on the menu; only coffee, but what delicious coffee, and served in Le Creuset cups (of an unusual soft teal green colour), which keep the coffee at a good temperature for longer than usual. The service is excellent; the seating is simple yet elegantly comfortable. The frites might well be the...