Rickety Bridge Shiraz 2020
Rickety Bridge is on the right bank of the Dwars River which runs from east to west down the Franschhoek Wine Appellation. Its name says quite clearly how you get there. Fortunately, the bridge is now ideal for motor cars, and visitors are heartily welcomed to taste and buy the Estate’s fine wines and eat in the Restaurant.
The grapes for this wine were selected from vineyards in the Franschhoek Wine Appellation. Hand harvested at an ideal sugar reading ripeness. Once in the cellar, the grapes were destemmed and whole berries went to open top fermenters. Desiccated stems were added back during fermentation. After this, the grapes lay in the wine for 2 months where malolactic fermentation took place. Maturation took place in 225l French oak barrels for 12 months. 15% New oak was used and the rest were 2nd; 3rd; 4th; 5th fill barrels. The wine was then prepared for bottling.
Pour
From a Burgundy shaped bottle in dark green glass, closed with natural cork. The label in the style of a French Chateau with a charming etching of the Manor House. The aromas are of dark cherries and country lane fruits like brambles and blackberries. There is an undertow of the oak and its cedary spices and vanilla. These all segue seamlessly on to the palate which is generous and round. Rich and sappy. Elegant. Lovely harmony of the fruit, acidity, oak, and tannins in a long farewell.
Pair
The Rickety Bridge Shiraz 2020 is a great Sunday Lunch Roast partner. A well roasted haunch of beef with all the trimmings. Rustly roast potatoes, a green vegetable, horseradish sauce and a large jug of real gravy to pour into the Yorkshire Puddings.
Click HERE to read more about Rickety Bridge and buy the wines online.
As a young aspiring chef, Michael laid a solid foundation for his career at the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in London. Over the next 30 years he had a series of high profile hospitality management posts, was the Public Relations Manager for Boschendal and ran three successful restaurants in the Cape, one of which, Parks, featured in the national top 10 restaurants.