This Women's Month, Steenberg Vineyards unveils Lady R Cap Classique 2020 with a refined new label that elevates its place within the estate's prestigious Icon Collection alongside Magna Carta.
More than a new vintage, the release celebrates a philosophy that defines both the wine and the woman who inspired it: Time Reveals Character.
Released only after almost six years of patient maturation on its lees, a traditional ageing process that develops richness, texture and complexity, Lady R Cap Classique 2020 represents Steenberg's most considered expression of traditional method Cap Classique.
Produced exclusively as a vintage wine, every release captures the unique personality of a single harvest, allowing nature and time to shape the wine rather than pursuing consistency from year to year.
The refined new label, reflecting Lady R's position as one of Steenberg's icon wines and bringing it into visual alignment with Magna Carta, also reinforces the elegance and quiet confidence that defines the estate's Icon Collection.
"Lady R is a wine that rewards patience," says Elunda Basson, cellarmaster at Steenberg Vineyards. "Everything about this wine is guided by patience. Time is the final ingredient, allowing the wine to reveal its fullest expression. The new label reflects that same philosophy: understated, elegant and intentionally timeless."
Named in honour of Catharina ‘Tryn’ Ras, the pioneering founder of Steenberg and Southern Africa's first female landowner, Lady R connects two remarkable women across more than three centuries.
Arriving at the Cape in the late 1600s, Catharina overcame extraordinary hardship at a time when women enjoyed few legal or economic rights. Through resilience and determination, she established what would become one of the Cape's oldest wine estates, leaving a legacy that continues to shape Steenberg today.
Releasing Lady R during Women's Month therefore honours not only Catharina's remarkable story, but the qualities she embodied: courage, perseverance, vision and an unwavering belief in creating something that would endure.
Today, that legacy continues through the craftsmanship of Cellarmaster Elunda Basson, whose decades of experience in traditional method Cap Classique guide every stage of Lady R's evolution.
Crafted from 63% Chardonnay and 37% Pinot Noir, Lady R 2020 gains additional depth and complexity through carefully judged barrel fermentation, while extended maturation contributes harmony, texture and finesse.
"Creating a wine like Lady R requires both technical precision and intuition," says Basson. "Every component must earn its place in the final blend. It is a process that demands patience, experience and an unwavering commitment to quality."
She adds: "Lady R is built through layers of complexity. From blending Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to carefully integrating oak and managing extended lees ageing, each element plays a specific role in shaping the wine's texture, structure and character. The challenge is achieving harmony, where freshness, elegance and depth exist in perfect balance."
Lady R's philosophy has also earned industry recognition. The previous 2019 vintage was named Best Overall Cap Classique at the 2025 Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, reinforcing Lady R's position among South Africa's leading vintage Cap Classiques and affirming Steenberg’s commitment to excellence in traditional method winemaking.
"The name Lady R is about more than history," says Basson. "It reflects the values Catharina embodied: resilience, vision and determination, which continue to shape Steenberg today. More than 340 years later, her legacy continues to inspire how we pursue excellence at Steenberg."
For Steenberg, Lady R is ultimately created for life's most meaningful occasions.
"Opening a bottle of Lady R is about more than enjoying exceptional Cap Classique," says Basson. "It is about celebrating moments that deserve to be remembered. Like the wine itself, those moments become richer with time."
With its refined new identity, acclaimed pedigree and latest vintage release, Lady R 2020 marks the next chapter for one of South Africa's most distinguished Cap Classiques; a wine that demonstrates a simple truth: Time Reveals Character.