Description
Anthonij Rupert Wines Optima 2022 is a Coastal Region red blend built in a generous, polished style, where dark fruit, spice, and oak are brought together with a steady sense of balance. It is a wine that delivers immediate appeal through texture and ripeness, but it also shows enough freshness and structural control to keep it from feeling heavy. For drinkers who enjoy supple South African red blends with both richness and composure, this is a strong and versatile bottle.
The nose opens with blackberry, hedgerow fruit, mocha, baking spice, and pencil shavings, giving the wine an inviting mix of fruit and savory detail. On the palate, it is plush and silky, with notes of dark fruitcake, black cherry, and warming spice carried by fine oak integration and bright acidity. That acidity gives the wine lift and keeps the richer elements in check, while the finish stays smooth, polished, and lingering. It would pair especially well with roast beef, lamb, duck, or mushroom-based dishes, where its fruit, spice, and refined texture can settle naturally into the meal.
The nose opens with blackberry, hedgerow fruit, mocha, baking spice, and pencil shavings, giving the wine an inviting mix of fruit and savory detail. On the palate, it is plush and silky, with notes of dark fruitcake, black cherry, and warming spice carried by fine oak integration and bright acidity. That acidity gives the wine lift and keeps the richer elements in check, while the finish stays smooth, polished, and lingering. It would pair especially well with roast beef, lamb, duck, or mushroom-based dishes, where its fruit, spice, and refined texture can settle naturally into the meal.
The 2021 growing season was marked by cool-climate conditions that allowed for slow, even ripening, strong fruit concentration, and fresh acidity. The grapes for Optima were hand-picked from selected vineyard blocks, transported in small lug boxes, and double-sorted with optical technology to ensure only the best fruit was used. Fermentation took place in a combination of Nico Velo concrete tanks and stainless steel, followed by extended maceration for additional depth and structure. The wine was then aged for 20 months in French oak, 30% of it new, before spending a further two years in bottle to gain harmony before release.
Winemaker: Dawie Botha
Winemaker: Dawie Botha
Anthonij Rupert Wyne was founded on the farm L’Ormarins in Franschhoek. Originally owned by the late Anthonij Rupert, who passed away in 2001, the farm was taken over by his brother Johann Rupert in 2003. It was Johann Rupert who constructed a state-of-the-art winemaking facility on the estate, and the beginnings of what was to become a sprawling enterprise with a focus on terroir specific wines.
* Prior vintage described.
