Straw Wine The Gateway

I arrived at Rickety Bridge in Franschhoek without any preconceptions and departed convinced that they are heading in the right direction. Donovan Ackermann has overseen the winemaking for four years after working at Gabriëlskloof in Bot River, making way for Peter-Allen Finlayson. At Rickety Bridge, there are 20 hectares under vine. “We are not organic, but we spray as little as possible, removing weeds by hand and using straw under the vine. It is difficult. You have to do what you have to do in a rainy area, but cover crops are necessary to build up the nitrogen. Our calling card is Semillon.” Indeed, I felt that Ackermann really knows how to translate this fickle grape variety, finding much to like in their 2019 Pilgrimage and 2021 Paulina’s Reserve. For the more adventurous palates, check out their wonderful debut Semillon Gris from vines planted back in 1905, though this maiden release only saw a single barrel produced. Indeed, across their portfolio, I felt there was a steady hand on the tiller coupled with a desire to push things forward. Keep your eyes out for this producer, another established name that is ratcheting up the gears. Incidentally, I did cross a bridge to reach the winery, and thankfully, it did not appear to be too rickety.