Budburst came early on Rondekop this year, one of the earliest we have seen, and for once I am going to walk straight past it, as there is something more pressing to tell you.
On 1 October we release four Rondekop wines: Per Se, Stone Axe and Rhodium from vintage 2023, and Una V from vintage 2025. I do not say this lightly: this is by far the most exciting release of the Journey so far. Full stop.
Why now? Because the People have caught up with the Place. 2023 was Nic’s fifth harvest on Rondekop and 2025 his seventh, and somewhere between the two he stopped learning the hill and started getting the measure of it. Rondekop gives us acidity; it always has, from the elevation and the cool mountain evenings. Acidity is the spine of a wine, the thing that makes it fresh and lets it age. In the early years, we treated it as something to manage. Nic now embraces it, and 2023 and 2025 handed him plenty to embrace. The same goes for the wild yeasts. On a farm with healthy soils, cover crops in every row, and animals wandering about, the natural yeast population is abundant and diverse. Hence, the ferments generally start on their own, taste of here, and Nic now uses them with complete confidence.
Christo was in his second harvest in 2023 and his fourth in 2025, and the energy and precision he has brought to the vineyards, along with our pivot to regenerative practices and improved soil health, are now, without a shadow of a doubt, showing up in the glass.
The two vintages could not be more different. 2023 was a cool year, remembered across the Cape for the rains that arrived in March and caused all manner of trouble. Ours was in. Every last bunch, thanks to some superbly timed picking decisions by the team. 2025, we called the Goldilocks vintage at the time, and it is now being spoken of as one of the finest vintages the Cape has ever produced, possibly the finest. Nic’s view: better still for the reds, and the whites are great.
Each of the four wines has its own story. For Rondekop Stone Axe 2023, I will hand over to Greg, our Head Sommelier: “Very much in the style of a Côte-Rôtie meets Barossa, combining savoury spice with generous fruit concentration. Beautiful rotundone spice on the palate, layered with vibrant red and black berry fruit. Full-bodied and expressive, with excellent depth and complexity.” What you will not find in it is fruit from the reconfigured Terraces Block. We fully intended to bring it back for its perfume, but damaging winds shrivelled the berries, and the fruit did not make the cut.
Rondekop Una V 2025 is only in its third vintage, from our replanted Chardonnay, a child of that Goldilocks year, with several new blocks coming online and joining the blend for the first time. Greg’s note: “Showing beautifully at this stage, with racy acidity and a sense of readiness for release. Gorgeous notes of lemon curd, crème brûlée and a delicate touch of vanilla contribute to a layered and refined profile. The palate feels fresher and more vibrant than the 2024 vintage, while the wine’s potential for greater complexity and ageing will become increasingly evident over the coming months.“
Rondekop Rhodium 2023 brings Cabernet Franc back into the blend it leads. Cabernet Franc had to sit out 2022 while the replanted blocks caught up, so this is a homecoming. Greg again: “Beautifully expressive on the palate, with the Cabernet Franc gracefully leading the blend. The tannins are bold yet remarkably well integrated, providing excellent structure and suggesting strong ageing potential. Herbaceous undertones complement a vibrant core of black and red berry fruit, creating a beautifully layered and balanced profile.”
And then Rondekop Per Se 2023. Nic and Christo’s timing in that harvest, a single parcel of Cabernet Sauvignon picked on exactly the right day, in fact, exactly the right hour of the right day, has produced what Greg calls “an absolute stunner of a wine. The smoothness and depth of flavour are classic to the variety, yet this expression stands among the finest Cabernet Sauvignons I have tasted. The team’s favourite and undoubtedly a true golden gem in our library, one that deserves to be protected and preserved.” (I am sure, great advice.)
The steady progression of our wines over the past few years has been a joy to watch. What I am most proud of is the dedication of the entire Oldenburg Vineyards team to push themselves to discover the magic that resides on Rondekop. It has taken time to get here, and it will continue to take time; however, vintage by vintage, we are getting the measure of a very special place.
Congratulations to Nic, Christo and the team. I trust you will enjoy these wines as much as we enjoyed making them.
Cheers,
Adrian Vanderspuy
Proprietor
