Rust en Vrede Tasting Room: A Simply Sublime Winemaker’s Lunch

Do a few things and do them really well… the Rust en Vrede Tasting Room has taken this maxim to heart; their Tasting Room filling up quickly every lunchtime for their renowned Winemaker’s Lunch. Excellent steaks (or salmon) grilled to perfection is their recipe for success, accompanied by a glass of even more excellent wine. The hidden-gem Stellenbosch Winelands setting is all part of the appeal, especially in summer – a long avenue leading up a valley into the Helderberg mountains, heritage buildings, majestic oak trees, wide lawns, billowing hydrangeas, fragrant roses and an oak-shaded terrace next to the tasting room. Regulars know to come early to claim an alfresco table, but even sitting inside on the mezzanine looking down on the tasting room and out onto a verdant landscape of trees and vines, it’s a laidback country lunch to savour.

Lunch under the trees

Whether you’re exploring the estate on a guided wine-tasting, or coming just for a relaxed lunch, the terrace surrounded by manicured gardens immediately creates an alfresco sense of summer celebration. And when it comes to deciding on your lunch order there are no wrong answers… the Chalmar sirloin comes with a glass of Rust en Vrede Estate (a cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot blend); the Chalmar pepper-crusted fillet with a glass of Estate Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon; and the Norwegian salmon with a choice of Donkiesbaai Steen (chenin blanc) or Grenache Noir. The steaks are served with chunky golden fries and a salad, the salmon with baby potatoes and seasonal greens. It’s simple, delicious and generously portioned, all you need for a blissfully relaxed summer lunch in the Winelands.

A glass of wine or two

Renowned for their full-bodied reds (Rust en Vrede lies within Stellenbosch’s Golden Triangle, and is prime cabernet country), each dish comes with a generous glass of the winemaker’s recommended pairing. But there is also a list of wines by the glass, should you want a top-up or to try something else with your meal – such as the syrah –  or order a bottle of the Donkiesbaai Grenache Noir. Finish off with a glass of the Estate Potstill Brandy (aged for 12 years) , which makes a perfect after-lunch digestif, savoured with your coffee as the afternoon drifts by.

Wine-tasting at Rust en Vrede

Should you be interested in a full tasting journey, you’re welcome to take a seat on the terrace under the oaks and marvel at the vineyards, where the wines you’re tasting started their journey! There’s also the option of a tasting in the cosy, candle-lit underground maturation cellar, surrounded by bottles of wine in the making.

Wine-tasting options:

• Estate Tasting The Vineyards Syrah, Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and Estate Red Blend (R120; free for Wine Club members)
• Estate 2021 The latest vintage of Rust en Vrede’s flagship red blend (R40)
• Estate 12YO Potstill Brandy The new addition to the portfolio (R90)

A perfectly sublime Winelands interlude.

Good to know No reservations. Tables are allocated on a first come, first served basis. When it’s busy you can put your name on a waiting list and stroll around the gardens until a table becomes free.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Winemaker’s Lunch: 12pm – 3pm
Contact 021 881 3881, [email protected]
Where to find it Annandale Road, Stellenbosch

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