Lower-Rustenburg, home to Dellrust wines, is a historical farm in the Stellenbosch Helderberg area in the Western Cape of South Africa, where the Bredell family started farming since 1863.

Johan Bredell, was the first Bredell to start farming in the Helderberg region which forms part of the wines of origin Stelenbosch.

In those days they only farmed with wheat and cattle. Vineyards were planted for the first time in the early 1900’s. The first wine cellar was built in 1916 and wines were made mainly for the bulk trade. They only produced mainly semi sweet white wines and ports in those days.

Wines were bought by companies like”Castle Wine & Brandy Company” and KWV. Since 1970’s the trend in the market required dry wines and more French cultivars like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc as we know them today were planted.

Today the Bredell family is still well known in the industry for their quality wines and Ports they produce. The selling of bulk wine to KWV still continues. Since 1985 the first bottled wines of the Bredell’s appeared on the market .Well known winemaker Anton Bredell made a name for himself with his quality ports and later some bottled red wine. Younger brother, Albert Bredell looked after the vineyards and farming activities, newly graduated from Elsenburg Collage in 1987.

It was only since 1998 that the two brothers decided to split the business where Dellrust was started as a brand for Albert’s wines and the Bredell label remains with Anton Bredell. The Bredell label and wines could continue in a more modern cellar on the farm that was bought by the family from a neighbour in 1965. The original family farm was given to Albert Bredell, however the condition of the farm was in a poor condition.

Albert rebuilt and restored the old tanks that were built in 1916 where he made his first wines in 1998 in his newly equipped cellar. The cellar could handle up to 600 tons of red grapes and a small portion of white grapes. Most of the red wines were sold to KWV and all the white wine was selectively made for the Dellrust brand. Only about 5000 liter of white and some 5000 liters of red wine were bottled selected from the bulk that was produced mainly for KWV. Later the bottled production of Dellrust increased and up to 5000 cases a year was sold.

Ten years later with the economy struggling, some restructuring on the farm and company was necessary. From 2010 vintage onwards a new wine cellar with restaurant and function facilities will be in use with the focus on tourism, which is a fast growing sector of the wine industry. This facility will only focus on boutique wines. For the larger scale production and bottling, quality wines will be sourced and carefully selected to blend in with the style and quality that Dellrust has established over the past ten years.

To some, a family tradition of winemaking that stretches back over a century may seem extraordinary. To us, it's simply the careful process of turning selected grapes into fine wines worthy of the name Dellrust. Albert Bredell is the fifth generation to pursue the proud family tradition of winemaking and the old cellar has been restored and modernized for producing quality red and white wines.

Lower-Rustenburg is planted with red varietals Shiraz, Pinotage, Merlot, cabernet Sauvignon and White plantings include Sauvignon Blanc. Presently only carefully selected part of the total harvest is vinified on Lower-Rustenberg and sold under the Dellrust label.