WACKY WINE WEEKEND WOWS PATRONS FOR THE ELEVENTH YEAR
5th – 8th JUNE 2014
Just before crossing the border from the Boland into the Little Karoo, the Robertson Wine Valley presents you with the splendor of the beautiful Cape Winelands one last time. This perfect marriage of blue sky, green vines, vibrant people and country hospitality at its best makes you slow down, linger a bit and indulge in all that this beautiful valley of wine and roses has to offer.
While the vineyards are still decked out in the last vestiges of orange and yellow and late autumn starts to tickle its cold fingers down your spine, it is time for our farms to throw open the barn doors and invite the world to come and celebrate at our annual Wacky Wine Weekend, this year to be held from 5th to 8th June 2014.
Time has been the winemaker’s assistant and the first of the crop is ready to drink. Throughout the Valley tents are up and tables and chairs dusted off. Musicians come from far and wide and a buzz of excitement vibrates through the air. We rejoice in the product of last year’s labour and the rest that is to come and in life itself.
The Wacky Wine Weekend is once again being extended from the conventional weekend experience to include four festive days, with each day boasting its unique signature wine theme, to cater for all palates. Whether you are a fun-seeker, novice or a wine connoisseur, there is something for everyone with: ‘Seriously Wine Thursday’, ‘Wine Up Friday’, ‘Full On Wacky Saturday’ or ‘Wine Down Sunday’. ‘Seriously Wine Thursday’ promises to inspire wine aficionados with a range of tailor-made activities, for instance: master wine-tastings, exquisite wine- and food-pairings, educational wine presentations and private tastings with the Valley’s most esteemed winemakers.
The Wacky Wine Weekend will embrace the usual line-up of fun-filled activities, for example:
‘meet-the-winemaker’ tastings, brandy tours and tastings, river cruises, barrel tastings, cheese- and olive tastings, a simulated rodeo bull, a mountain bike challenge and local performing artists.
The Valley will also be presenting a gastronomic extravaganza, with visitors spoilt for choice: oysters, abalone, freshly baked breads, sushi, riverside picnics and plenty of stalls with fresh produce are just a few of the gourmet delights on offer.
And while the adults are revelling in these activities, there will, as always, be a wide range of children’s activities including: fishing, jumping castles, pony rides, tractor trips and jungle gym.
Festival-goers are invited to join the Robertson Wine Valley in supporting their local charities. Help take the chill out of winter by donating blankets and winter clothing, for all ages, for those less fortunate. In return the Valley will reward you with wine, according to the weight of your donation, with a maximum of a 6- bottle case of wine which weighs about 9kg. Donations that weigh less than a bottle of wine will be rewarded with vouchers for wine purchases at La Verne online wine shop. All donations are please to be handed in at the Robertson Wine Valley office, corner of Voortrekker and Reitz Streets, Robertson.
As part of the Robertson Wine Valley’s commitment to ensure a safe festival, a Zero Tolerance Policy is implemented towards ‘drinking and driving’. Visitors are requested to make use of the Buddy Bus or the Designated Driver Programme. The Buddy Bus facility enables groups of seven or more visitors to hire a chauffeur-driven mini-bus.
Wacky Wine Weekend Bus-In Packages are also available. A2B Tours will be offering one day packages, with transport departing from the Waterfront, Tygervalley, Stellenbosch (Butterfly World) and Paarl, to Robertson, and ‘Buddy Bus’ transport between the participating wineries. See contact details below.
For visitors from further a-field, Beyond Reach has once again put together great Fly-In Packages that include flights, car rental and accommodation.
So head out to the Robertson Wine Valley for a winter getaway at the Wacky Wine Weekend – where the fun never stops!
Cost: | A R110 weekend passport, must be purchased at one’s first port-of-call, ie at any of the participating wineries. The passport includes: a stylish tasting glass, free 25mℓ wine-tasting samples, and a ‘goodie’ bag with some great surprises, as well as the programme highlighting some special offers. All other activities during the Wacky Wine Weekend will be ‘pay-as-you-go’, with many of the activities free of charge. Visitors will also be able to purchase wine-by-the-glass or a bottle of wine to share amongst friends. |
Programme ofactivities: | Visit www.wackywineweekend.com. Many of the activities need to be pre-booked directly with the respective wineries. |
Buddy Bus: | Costs vary between R127 and R400 per person. The bus is available from 08h00 until 19h00. Guests will be collected and returned to their accommodation. Advance booking is required |
Accommodation: | Please visit www.robertsonwinevalley.com. Advance booking is required |
Bus-in Packages: | Book Day Packages with A2B Charters. Group bookings of between 7 and 60 passengers for day-trips cost R450 per person and include ‘Buddy Bus’ transport between the participating wineries. Bookings close 23 May! Contact Jacques on 083 258 4769 or info@a2bcharters.co.za |
Fly-In Packages: | Book with Beyond Reach: (023) 614 3937 / 072 203 2457 or info@beyondreachafrica.co.za |
Enquiries: | Contact the Robertson Wine Valley on (023) 626 3167Or email manager@robertsonwinevalley.com
Visit the Wacky Wine Weekend website. www.wackywineweekend.com. |