Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay, 2024
Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay, 2024
- 75cl
- 13.5%
- White Still
- Chardonnay
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2032
Rustenberg is one of Stellenbosch's great old estates, and Five Soldiers is the wine that proved the Cape could do serious, cellar-worthy Chardonnay long before anyone was ready to believe it.
The name comes from a row of five ancient pine trees standing sentinel over the Brampton vineyard on the Simonsberg foothills — a pleasing piece of South African storytelling that the wine absolutely lives up to. From fruit grown at altitude on decomposed granite, this is cool, precise, and built with genuine purpose.
Right now, the 2024 is in its primary phase — all white stone fruit, citrus, and that lovely granite-edged freshness — and it is already worth opening with the right dish. Over the next two to three years, the oak will integrate further and a richer, more textured mid-palate will emerge, with struck-flint minerality becoming more pronounced. By 2028 or 2029 it should be at or near its peak, showing the kind of complexity that puts it in conversation with good village-level Burgundy.
What the critics say:
"Spicy, wild and flinty, this exhibits aromas of cedar, apple crumble, spiced pears, nutmeg and hazelnuts. It’s full-bodied and lively with bright acidity and a deliciously dry and toasty finish. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap."
"The 2024 Chardonnay Five Soldiers comes from vines planted at the highest altitude facing False Bay, exposed to the wind and rain during floweringi therefore, yields are smaller due to coulure. Matured for 15 months in 70% new oak that is tighter grained, this has quite an intense bouquet with dried honey, hints of lanolin and wild peach. Fine delineation and the oak is nicely integrated. The palate is well balanced with a pleasing weight and density. No blowsiness, quite strict and tensile on the finish. Perhaps it is just missing a little complexity and personality, but overall, a quietly capable Chardonnay to enjoy over several years."
Tasting Notes
AppearancePale gold with a faint green tinge, bright and clean in the glass.
NoseWhite peach, lemon curd, and a whisper of toasted hazelnut from restrained oak handling. There is a flinty, almost chalky minerality underneath that gives the whole thing a cool, composed quality. With a little air, grapefruit and nectarine start to push through.
PalateTaut and focused, with bright acidity pulling everything into line — this is not a wine that flatters immediately, and it is better for it. White stone fruit, a squeeze of citrus, and a fine saline edge carry through to a mid-palate where the oak integration adds texture without weight. The finish is long and precise, with that granite-inflected mineral quality running right through it.
FinishClean, long, and mineral, with lemon zest and toasted almond fading slowly.
Overall impressionA genuinely serious Cape Chardonnay that earns its reputation without making a fuss about it.
Food Pairings
In the Cape Winelands, this kind of structured, mineral Chardonnay would be poured alongside snoek pâté on sourdough or a whole grilled snoek basted with apricot jam — a combination that sounds unlikely and tastes exactly right. Linefish preparations are the natural local home for it: think yellowtail ceviche, or kingklip baked in a herb crust. Further up the table, it holds its own against rich chicken dishes with cream and wild mushroom, which the Stellenbosch restaurant scene does very well. Aged Gruyère or a local Huguenot-style hard cheese would also be a fine match.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 10-11°C — cold enough to preserve the precision, but not so cold that it shuts the wine down before it has had a chance to speak. No need to decant, but do give it twenty minutes in the glass if you are drinking it young; it opens up considerably with air. A mid-sized white Burgundy glass will do the job well, concentrating the mineral and citrus aromatics without overwhelming the wine's natural composure.
The Five Soldiers vineyard sits on the slopes of the Simonsberg at around 350 metres, where decomposed granite soils drain freely and force the vines to work for their water. This stress produces smaller berries with concentrated flavour and the kind of natural acidity that gives the wine its characteristic precision. The altitude moderates the Stellenbosch heat considerably, extending the growing season and preserving aromatic detail that lower-lying sites simply cannot achieve.
Stellenbosch is South Africa's most prestigious wine district, centred on the mountain ranges of Simonsberg, Helderberg, and Stellenbosch Mountain, which provide dramatically different mesoclimates across a relatively compact area. It is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends, but its higher-altitude sites have proven increasingly capable of producing fine, age-worthy Chardonnay. Compared to Franschhoek just over the mountain, Stellenbosch tends toward greater structure and longer ageing potential rather than early generosity.
The 2024 vintage in Stellenbosch caught many producers off guard with its early ripening, as warm conditions through the growing season pushed harvest dates forward by two to three weeks. We're still piecing together the full picture of this vintage, but the consensus from our producer friends suggests a year that demanded nimble decision-making rather than patience. The lack of significant rainfall stress during key ripening periods meant growers had to watch sugar levels closely, with many opting for earlier picks to preserve freshness.
What emerged from the cellars shows wines with immediate appeal rather than the brooding structure Stellenbosch often produces. The Cabernet Sauvignon carries more upfront fruit character than usual, whilst Chenin Blanc from the older vineyard sites shows particular promise with concentrated flavours and good natural acidity. We suspect these wines will drink beautifully in their youth, making them accessible from 2025 until 2032 for most reds, though the very best Cabernet blends may reward those willing to wait until 2028.
FAQs
What does Five Soldiers Chardonnay taste like?
Precise and mineral rather than rich and buttery. Think white peach, lemon curd, and toasted hazelnut with a stony, flinty edge and bright acidity that keeps the whole thing focused and fresh. The oak is there but well-judged — it adds texture, not flavour.
When should I drink the 2024?
It is approachable now, particularly with food, but give it two to three years and it will reward you considerably.
What food works best with this wine?
Grilled or baked white fish is the natural match — kingklip, sea bass, or turbot. It also handles richer preparations well: chicken with wild mushroom and cream, or a dish with aged hard cheese. The mineral edge cuts through richness without losing its composure.
Is Five Soldiers worth cellaring?
Yes, genuinely so. It is one of the Cape's few Chardonnays with a real track record in the cellar. The combination of altitude-grown fruit, granite soils, and restrained winemaking gives it the structure to evolve over five to seven years rather than fading after two.
How does Five Soldiers compare to white Burgundy?
It is a fair comparison and one Rustenberg has always invited. The mineral, stone-fruit style and the cool-climate precision do sit in the same conversation as a good Mâcon or Côte de Beaune village wine — though Five Soldiers has its own identity, particularly that flinty, granite-edged quality that is very much Simonsberg rather than Puligny.
How should I serve it?
Serve at 10-11°C in a mid-sized white Burgundy glass. No need to decant, but give it twenty minutes in the glass if the wine is young — it opens up with air and reveals more of its mineral character as it warms slightly.
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