Franschhoek Rickety Bridge Chenin Blanc Paulina's Reserve

The history of Rickety Bridge Estate dates back to 1694, when the land was part of La Provence, one of the original French Huguenot farms in the Franschhoek Valley. In 1797, a portion of the farm was granted to the widow Paulina de Villiers, making her one of South Africa’s first female landowners. She renamed the land Paulina's Drift and is believed to have been the first to plant vineyards on the estate. The name Rickety Bridge was adopted in the 1980s, inspired by the old railway sleeper bridge that once served as the primary crossing over the Franschhoek River to reach the property. Today, the estate is owned by the Crosbie family, who continue to honor Paulina’s pioneering spirit through the flagship Paulina’s Reserve range.

The estate’s terroir is defined by its position between the Dassenberg Mountain and the Franschhoek River, where vines are planted on ancient sandstone and alluvial soils that provide natural elegance and mineral tension. Rickety Bridge employs a winemaking philosophy of minimal intervention and a gentle approach in the cellar to preserve the purity and character of each vintage. Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted to ensure only the highest quality fruit is used. The winemaking team blends tradition with innovation, utilizing a variety of vessels including amphorae, concrete eggs, and stainless steel, alongside maturation in French and Austrian oak barrels to craft structured, age-worthy wines that reflect their unique mountain-side origin.