What a way to get back into the cellar after a long weekend — and even better, to do it with a brand-new wine ready to make its way into the market.

The Rikus Neethling Pinot noir Rosé 2026 is now available.

Pinot noir has always fascinated me. It is often described as the elegant lady of the red varietals — delicate, graceful and yet full of character. With August being Women’s Month, the timing of the release feels particularly meaningful to me. I wanted this Rosé to reflect everything I love about Pinot noir: elegance, freshness, delicacy and underneath it all, a little bit of attitude.

One of the great joys of marketing and making your own wine is that it gives you an excuse to visit some of South Africa’s unique little towns and, more importantly, to meet the people who bring them to life.

At the end of July, we headed to Greyton for the Fire and Wine weekend. We were fortunate enough to be stationed on the stoep of Via’s Coffees on Main Road. There is something special about standing on a stoep with a glass of wine in your hand, watching people wander past, stop for a taste and, before long, share a story of their own.

This is what makes these weekends so worthwhile.

Greyton also gave me one of those unexpected moments that you remember long after the wine has been packed away. I met a South African legend, Anrich Herbst, who many of us will remember as Wimpy from Orkney nie Snork nie. As a child, Wednesday evenings were almost sacred in our house — we couldn’t wait for the next episode.

And now, from Greyton, we head into the Karoo.

This coming weekend we will be at Vino de Camino in Prince Albert, and I am really looking forward to it. Friday afternoon and Saturday will be about walking the streets, meeting old friends, making new ones and watching people stop along the way to taste a few Bizoe Wines.