Rickety Bridge Foundation Stone 2011

A visit to Franschhoek is always a special occasion and although it ‘s only an hours drive from Cape Town the tranquility and beauty of the area makes you believe you are much further away…almost in another country! One of my visits several years ago in 1997 was to Rickety Bridge then owned by Robin Singer. Robin had just revamped the Manor House, built a new cellar and tasting room. The old rickety bridge made from railway sleepers was rebuilt with concrete and could now carry a tank! The range of wines expanded and I remember, in particular, tasting an excellent Semillon from the 1996 vintage.

Rickety Bridge, is currently owned by British businessman, Duncan Spence (since 2000) who transformed the farms wine producing capacity with a modern 200 tonne wine cellar. Along with this he built a restaurant where one can enjoy picnic lunches on a deck in the middle of the vines. Added to this there is an intimate luxury hotel, a function room ideal for weddings and a few self catering cottages.

Today the winery produces over 14 wines within three ranges consisting of two reserve, The Icon and Paulinas Reserve with the third range under the name of Rickety Bridge. The man behind the wines is winemaker, Wynand Grobler, whose wine making philosophy is simple: ‘Stick to basics. Don’t interfere too much; the wine is made in the vineyard’.

He likes making wines that not only he enjoys drinking but also what the avid wine consumer enjoys drinking, and feels he has achieved this when someone out there is drinking a wine he has helped put together!

Tasting through a few of their wines recently I warmed up to their 2010 Foundation Stone, an unusual, but interesting blend of 48% Shiraz – 19% Cinsaut – 15% Mourvèdre – 9% Grenache – 5%Tannat – 4% Viognier. It’s a wine that requires thought as you savour the fragrant and succulent spicy red berry aromas with hints of chocolate. As you relish the aroma you look for similar senses on the palate which don’t disappoint as you are rewarded with rich complex raspberry and mulberry flavours held together with fairly tight tannins. The latter will allow the wine to be kept for even more enjoyment through the years ahead.

Expect to pay: R81.00