15/04/2026
As harvest concludes, it's time to reflect on the 2026 vintage at Rust en Vrede.
A long, dry, and windy season kept vineyards clean and decisions sharp. A burst of 40°C heat in March compressed harvest into just over two weeks - intense, but consistent.
The result? Clean, evenly ripe fruit with great colour, structure, and balance. Yields are on track, and young blocks are showing real promise.
None of this would be possible without our winemaking team led by Danielle le Roux and Dirk Mouton, alongside Chris Kruger and Christof Smith, their expertise and passion are at the heart of every bottle. We would also like to acknowledge our dedicated harvest interns - Ad le Hanie, Steff Coetzee, Egan Botes, Adriana Carstens, Nicolaas Moller and Giulio Benvenuti - whose commitment and energy are invaluable.