Rudi Schultz is part of South Africa's new generation of driven young winemakers. A home-schooled graduate of Stellenbosch's Elsenberg Agricultural College, Schultz has also traveled the world. He worked at Sonoma-Cutrer in California and Château Joanny in France's Southern Rhône Valley before returning to the Cape full time. In South Africa, Schultz worked at the Rustenberg and Jordan (known in the United States as Jardin) wineries, before joining Thelema in 2000, where he works alongside one of the deans of Cape winemakers, Gyles Webb.

Like many of his contemporaries, Schultz also has a small side project focused on Syrah, which has emerged as South Africa's top red varietal. The wine, which debuted with the 2002 vintage, is sourced from a small vineyard in the Bottelary ward, a warm spot in the northwest corner of the well-known Stellenbosch district. Winemaking runs in the family too—both of Schultz' brothers are winemakers, at Stellenbosch's Hartenberg and Delaire wineries.