2011 Rust en Vrede Shiraz

The 2011 Shiraz seemed slightly reduced on the nose that does not express itself as well as the Cabernet Sauvignon ‘10. The palate is better with a nice chewy entry of raspberry and wild strawberry laced with white pepper, while the finish is harmonious and focused, albeit rather orthodox. Drink now-2016. Like Kanonkop, Rust En Vrede is one of South Africa’s stalwarts whose wines have improved leaps and bounds in recent vintages. I say stalwart, though winemaking had virtually ceased at the homestead back in the 1920s and only resurrected when purchased by Jannie Engelbrecht in 1978. I was intrigued to learn in Tim James’s excellent recent book (see introduction) that there were hygiene problems in the old barrel cellar, though this was remedied by turning it into a well reputed restaurant. Also, James opined that the wines are “ripe, powerful, and often with a definite sweetness” i.e. aimed squarely at the American market. I must confess that as someone renowned for being sensitive to overbearing, overripe wines, I have not found this to be the case at Rust en Vrede and indeed, examining the analysis during my tasting, the alcohol level hovered around 15%, as I would expect given location and grape varieties. Modern in style, finely crafted and packed full of flavors, Rust en Vrede’s wines are worth pursuing. Importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900