The Rubaiyat is De Grendel’s flagship wine, first made in 2006 when cellar master Charles Hopkins was asked by Sir David Graaff to make an ‘iconic’ wine for the Estate.

A classically poetic Bordeaux style blend consisting of a quatrain of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, the Rubaiyat was named after Omar Khayyam’s exquisite collection of 1000 Persian love poems from the 10th century, held dear by the late Sir David. Each successive vintage features a different quatrain from the poem on the label, hence the blend of four varietals.

Our flagship will richly reward aging for 10 – 12 years by becoming increasingly velvety, and as the tannins soften and integrate, the fruit may become slightly richer but the luscious elegance and nuances of spice will be retained.