Five Soldiers

This Chardonnay pairs well with rich seafood dishes, roasted poultry, and creamy pasta dishes, complementing its layered complexity and acidity.​

The Five Soldiers vineyard is named after five tall stone pine trees known as the 'Five Soldiers' that tower over this site at Rustenberg. The vineyard benefits from a south-west facing, high-altitude position on Rustenberg's spectacular Simonsberg estate, contributing to the wine's impressive layered complexity.

The wine was matured for 14 months in French oak barrels, with 72% being new and 28% second fill. This careful oak regimen imparts subtle complexity and enhances the wine's ageing potential.

After hand harvesting, the grapes were whole bunch pressed before fermentation in 300L French oak Hogshead barrels (72% new, 28% second fill) using wild yeasts. The wine underwent full malolactic fermentation and was aged on its lees for 14 months before bottling.

The Rustenberg Estate was founded in 1682 and is nestled in the valley of the Simonsberg Mountain in South Africa’s premium wine region Stellenbosch. Rustenberg’s rich heritage and ethos has been informed by many centuries of human influence striving to understand and work with nature to produce wines of distinct character true to their terroir variety and informed style.