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The wines of Rickety Bridge Winery

Although there are certain wine regions that I feel are my strong points, there are inevitably also some on which my knowledge is very weak; South Africa is one that I have never really got to grips with. And yet I know from occasional encounters with bottles from Rustenberg, Veenwouden, Yonder Hill, Springfield, Boekenhoutskloof, Paul Cluver, Neil Ellis, Ken Forrester, Klein Constantia, Lammershoek, Hamilton Russell, Meerlust....the list could go on and on....that there are some genuinely excellent wines made in this warm and sunny region of the world. They range from tasty daily drinkers to wines that require reflection and provoke thought, wines of structure and substance that repay cellaring with complexity and elegance. Thus it is always a delight to increase my exposure to the wines of regions and countries such as South Africa.

A recent opportunity to taste the wines of the Rickety Bridge Winery was the latest chance for me to broaden my tasting experience in this fashion. Although records indicate there was farming here during the 17th Century, the creation of Rickety Bridge can really be traced to 1787, when the land was divided up and a plot was purchased by Paulina de Villiers, a name which still has a presence in the Rickety Bridge portfolio in the shape of Paulina's Reserve. Today the estate is run by Duncan Spence who, as well as running a successful conference and wedding venue, uses his vineyards to produce an attractive array of wines mostly designated by grape variety. And in a novel move these wines are now available in the UK by direct selling, from greatwineonline.co.uk. The white wines are all produced in a very pure style which in most cases remains very true to the variety in question and they are not only excellent value but would be great for someone learning about the different characteristics of these classic varieties. The reds tend to have a more meaty style, occasionally rather feral and interesting, but they are also very tasty. I found the Shiraz to be a particular high point in the range, along with the Paulina's Reserve.

I have included prices appropriate to the UK along with wine-searcher links which may be of use to readers based in other countries. (5/9/07)

The wines of Rickety Bridge Winery - Tasting Notes

Tasted in August 2007. Click for stockists.

Rickety Bridge Duncan's Creek Chenin Blanc (Coastal Region) 2006: Bottled under screwcap. The Duncan's Creek wines serve as an entry-level to the Rickety Bridge range. This Chenin has a very pale-straw hue and a clean nose, which is full of classic Chenin character although presented in a very mute fashion. Little nuances of honey on toast lie alongside more prominent green, lime and some grassy, beany aromas. An attractive palate, not hugely concentrated but clean and fresh, with a little texture and a lot of green bite. A bit coarse towards the finish but always fresh with plenty of nettly, tingling, rather pithy bite. It is simple, and makes for decent, unfussy bistro-style drinking at a fair price. 14/20 (£5.95)

Rickety Bridge Chenin Blanc (Franschhoek) 2006: Bottled under screwcap. Another pale wine, very close in colour to the Duncan's Creek. The nose, though, is superior, firstly in that here we have a more appealing array of aromas, with just a herby edge to the still rather subtle honey on toast, but it is much less green. Secondly, it seems much better focused. The palate follows on in this theme, with a much more tightly defined frame of acidity carrying the flavour, which is good. It isn't the most concentrated of Chenins, but it has plenty of character, with lots of tingling spice and white pepper. Tasted blind I might have mistaken it for an Austrian Grüner Veltliner, so evident is this part of the wine's character. An attractive wine, which would be a good foil for hearty food. Definitely worth the very small price difference. 15.5/20 (£6.95)

Rickety Bridge Sauvignon Blanc (Franschhoek) 2006: Bottled under screwcap. A very pale but attractive hue, crystal-like and shimmering. The nose carries a creamy-greenness, an attractive feature of good Sauvignon Blanc although one I struggle to describe well. There are notes of galia melon, greengage and grass, and yet it has a soft and creamy richness too. Fresh, with perhaps a little spritz here too? Pure, well formed and integrated on the palate. Absolutely packed with flavour, quite precisely defined underneath, with an appropriate plumpness on top. This is a really very good example of the variety, classically composed and structured. Delicious. 17/20 (£6.95)

Rickety Bridge Semillon (Franschhoek) 2004: This wine has a fairly pale but obviously golden hue, suggesting a little richness, and this comes through on the nose with great effect. There are aromas of honey, rich and yet dry, and plenty of candied fruit, white pepper, lime and fresh, gently browned, butter-rich toast. There is a little minerality too. Great freshness and very firm acidity on the palate too, but with a wealth of flavour as on the nose, wrapped up in a bone dry structure. This is simply packed with character, is very food friendly, and again is a great example of the intrinsic characteristics of the variety. Great bitter finish. 16.5/20 (£7.95)

Rickety Bridge Chardonnay (Franschhoek) 2004: A lemon-gold hue, and a rather rich nose, which although brimming with tropical fruit flavours such as guava and mango, still manages to present a clean, almost steely character. There are some interesting aspects to the aromas, some no doubt oak derived, as aromas of fennel, dill, dried honey and vanilla add to the overall picture. Clean and rich on the palate, not a fat or flabby style at all. It has a nice composition, a slightly bitter grip, the fruit is ripe but not OTT, and beneath it has that steely-fennel note and some curranty leafiness. Pure, and attractive style, again approachable now although very short-term cellaring might be interesting. 16.5/20 (£7.95)

Rickety Bridge Duncan's Creek Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon (Coastal Region) 2004: The Duncan's Creek wines serve as an entry-level to the Rickety Bridge range. Nevertheless this has left a quite dense film of deposit in the bottle, to a surprising extent in view of the wine's youth. It certainly has a rich and very youthful hue, a purple-raspberry, almost blue at the edge, and moderate density of colour. It never gives too much away on the nose, even though I left a sample in the glass for a few hours, just a rather subtle, feral perhaps slightly hot and plump fruit character. It has a very rounded composition on entry, very smooth and rather creamy with low acidity, a touch featureless, before developing a bit of grip later on and a touch of coarse heat on the finish. More quietly presented feral fruit. Like the Duncan's Creek white, it is decent, unfussy bistro-style drinking at a fair price. 14/20 (£6.95)

Rickety Bridge Merlot (Franschhoek) 2003: Another thin film of deposit within the bottle here. A deep, fairly dense, glossy colour here, garnet red fading to a muted pink rim, showing the effects of a year or two in bottle. An interesting nose, with a great purity of ripe and creamy black fruits, but with a little complexity alongside, a little spice, a trace of rubber, all interesting facets. Again, a ripe, creamy, relatively low acid palate although there is more obvious grip here and it maintains a lighter, detached freshness than the Duncan's Creek. Again there is a slight feral streak behind it all, alongside flavours of plums and ripe red fruits, raspberries and chocolate. Drinkable now, but a little fierce in the finish and I think this would improve over a year or two at least. 16.5+/20 (£10.95)

Rickety Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon (Franschhoek) 2003: A deeply coloured, opaque wine. A blast of cassis fruit first of all, then more intense, meaty, feral character, and an appealingly complex array of coffee, leather, tar and even a little white pepper. A big creamy and yet fresh style on the palate, full of grippy extract and tannin but full of flavour also, with dark, concentrated black fruits, intense and brooding in nature, but approachable and enjoyable right now. There is a wave of ripe, coating tannins again at the end, and without any doubt this is a wine that will soften and improve in the cellar, although it is just fine for drinking now. Really good stuff. 17+/20 (£10.95)

Rickety Bridge Shiraz (Coastal Region) 2003: A dark, rich, opaque appearance, an a very expressive nose, open and characterful. There are notes of crisply smoked, meaty fruit, and particularly little nuances of bacon. It is enticing, to say the least. The palate is rich, pure and structured, carrying a lot of fruit which has a bright and fresh character despite the evident richness. Creamy, full of substance, but well balanced, and with plenty of complex flavour to match that on the nose. This is one of the best wines here without a doubt, and would be one of the reds I would certainly recommend. Lovely for drinking now, but again likely to do well in the cellar. And at this price, a bargain. 17.5-18+/20 (£13.95)

Rickety Bridge Paulina's Reserve (Franschhoek) 2003: The prestige or flagship cuvée I suppose, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot named in honour of Paulina de Villiers. It has a pure, purple black and rather glossy hue. It has a complex nose, with some smoky, earthy, dark and brooding black fruits. There are also notes of white flowers, and a lifting cranberry sharpness which gives a real brightness to it all. The palate is pure but rich and creamy, very ripe but quite forceful rather than soft, velvety, with a pile of tannin under the creamy, brooding fruit. Structured but balanced. This is fine for drinking now, especially with a roast dinner or other special event, but would also be fine in the cellar. Excellent. 18+/20 (£16.95)