Forty wine farms participated in the festival, including some of my all-time favourites since the Robertson Wacky Wine festival, such as Arabella, Bon Courage, Cloverfield and Van Loveren, which all had tasting stalls with excellent wines. The food also did not disappoint with Robertson Smalls Hotel's gourmet beef burgers, Hectic Biltong's biltong and droëwors, Weltevrede's Italian ice cream, Sheilagh Shrooms' gourmet mushrooms and The Nut Case's variety of nuts (which had everybody in a buzz because they are the best nuts you will ever taste, roasted and covered with a layer of caramel - need I say more?).
Between the all the wine and various food stalls, toilet queues (which are, unfortunately, always inevitable) and live music by Dave Rawlings and Henry Conradie amongst others, we had more than enough to occupy us for the weekend. I must admit that I was fairly disappointed that no swimming was allowed, like at the RAKA festival, but, I suppose, it could have been a serious hazard to some of our fellow - and some fairly intoxicated - Wine on the River-ers.
There were also boat trips on the river, which we unfortunately didn't get a chance to do, but they seemed like a lot of fun.
Cheers to everyone who had a hand in the organising. Wine on the River definitely lived up to all those good reviews, smoothly organised and a pleasure to attend. We will see you again next year - hopefully on of those ferries, so we can truly experience some Wine on the River.
Diarise next year's date: 19 to 21 October, 2012.
www.wineonriver.com
