Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons - Baron Edmond 2012, Western Cape, South Africa

Introduction: An aristocratic alliance in the Cape

The Rupert & Rothschild Vigneronswine cooperative epitomises one of the most prestigious partnerships in South African viticulture: the alliance between the South African business dynasty Rupert (including Richemont) and the French winemaking legend Baron Edmond de Rothschild. The Baron Edmondis their highest red wine cuvée and represents the ambitious claim to create a world-class Bordeaux style in the best locations of the Western Cape. The 2012vintage is recognised in South Africa as an outstanding, classic vintage that combines finesse with structure. This wine is the South African interpretation of a top-class Pauillac.

Sensory description (current state, approx. 2024)

After more than a decade of ageing in the bottle, the 2012 Baron Edmond has shed its youthful sharpness and is beginning to reveal its complex, terroir-driven potential. It is at the beginning of its optimal drinking window.

Colour

• Deep, opaque garnet to purple in colour, with only the first delicate signs of ripeness. The colour is still intense and youthful, a sign of extract and concentration.

Nose

The bouquet is intense, classic and characterised by a beautiful blend of ripe New World fruit and Old World spice.

• Concentrated dark fruit: Plum, blackcurrant (cassis), blackberry, ripe sour cherry.

• Classic Bordeaux flavour: Distinct aromas of cedar wood, cigar box, damp tobacco, leather and a subtle minty or eucalyptus note (a South African terroir characteristic).

• Burnt & spicy notes: Vanilla, toast, chocolate, allspice - hints of ageing in French oak.

• Mineral base: A cool, graphitic or stony note that refers to the barren, well-drained soils.

Palate

On the palate, the wine is characterised by a great balance between concentrated fruit power, firm tannins and lively freshness.

• Texture: Full-bodied, dense and velvety, the tannins are abundant, fine-grained and already well integrated, but still give the wine a solid, supporting structure.

• Acidity: Fresh, lively and well integrated, it cuts through the fullness of the fruit, gives the wine a pleasant tension and length and guarantees its further ageing potential.

• Flavour development: The aromas of the nose continue precisely and extensively: a powerful wave of dark fruit, accompanied by spicy wood and tobacco notes.

• Finish: Long and complex, with a lingering aftertaste of cassis, cedar, chocolate and mineral spice. The finish is elegant and clean.

Vintage & Cuvée

Vintage 2012 in South Africa (Western Cape)

• An outstanding, classic vintage. Characterised by a cooler, prolonged summer with balanced growing conditions. This resulted in wines with good ripeness, beautiful freshness, fine tannin structure and moderate alcohol levels. The wines are more elegant and accessible than in the extremely hot vintages (e.g. 2009, 2015), but still possess concentration and longevity.

The "Baron Edmond" cuvée

• Grape variety composition: Typical Bordeaux blend, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, supplemented by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The exact proportions are a well-kept secret.

• Terroir: The grapes come from selected parcels in the Franschhoek and Paarl districts, known for their cooler microclimates and mineral soils.

• Ageing: Long ageing in French barriques (new wood content), followed by careful blending and further bottle ageing before bottling.

Drinking maturity & ageing potential

Current drinking maturity

The wine is already extremely accessibleand offers great enjoyment. It has lost its initial sharpness and shows a beautiful harmony. However, it still benefits from further ageing.

Development potential

• Optimum drinking window: 2024 - 2035+.

• Cellaring potential: With optimal cellaring until 2040 and beyond. The balance of fruit, acidity and tannins enables a slow, continuous development towards more complexity (leather, truffles, undergrowth).

Rating & Recommendations

Rating: 93-95/100 points

A top South African wine and a convincing homage to the classic Bordeaux style. It combines the powerful, sun-kissed fruit of the Cape with the structure, flavour and elegance of the French models.

Recommendations:

1. Decanting: Recommended (60-90 minutes before drinking) to fully develop the complex flavours and further soften the tannins.

2. Serving temperature: 16-17°C.

3. Food pairing:

   • Red meat: leg of lamb, entrecôte, fillet steak.

   • Game: saddle of venison, wild boar goulash.

   • Hearty dishes: savoury stews, mature hard cheese (e.g. cheddar, gouda).

Conclusion

The Rupert & Rothschild Baron Edmond 2012 is a wine of great class and persuasiveness. It proves that South Africa can not only produce powerful, fruit-driven wines, but also profound, structured and storable classics of top international calibre. This cuvée is the result of outstanding terroir, precise craftsmanship and a clear, stylistic vision - a wine that will delight both lovers of new-world richness and admirers of old-world complexity. A must-try for anyone who wants to explore the heights of South African viticulture.