Sivu Nobongoza

I must start by admitting that with a name like Rickety, you almost missed the train, but my lady strong-armed me and Elma, my german friend and the experience couldn’t have been more sweet. Though they turn most of their grapes to jams and chutneys, the Chardonnay and the Pinot noir were surprisingly flavourful. Approaching the farm, you get the feeling of heading to the wild wild west. The big fluffy teddy bears surrounding the tasting room make it feel slightly grim, like IT or Chucky grim. More irony is in the big man size bottles the sell at only half price, making you wonder if infact the wine is legit. he-he-he. We walke dout with a case of the Pinot Noir . So it wasn’t that bad.

Took my girlfriend on a romantic Valentine’s day picnic to the oldest wine farm in the Western Cape, or so they said. The Groot Constantia farm is a wonder to the eye and to the education. Once I knew everything there was to know about how to make wine: strain it, drain it , hide it and cork it, I couldn’t have wished for a drink more sooner. The pinot grapes hit the spot while the Shiraz didn’t meet the hype that is built around it. Still the day was a thing of beauty. The wind in our ears and the Brut done our throats.

Slick… overlooking a cool cut uptown golf course, I sipped a sensational Brut to the repetitive gawking of the Hadedas and the splashing of the wild ducks in the pond, whilst wondering “…what if the prisoners broke out of Pollsmoor?… would i be dinner tonight?” A complete experience. Complete with danger, intrigue, suspense and lots of prized vino.