Wacky Wine Weekend at Robertson

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" and "Wine Down Sunday".

"Seriously Wine Thursday" promises to inspire wine aficionados with a range of tailor-made activities, such as master wine-tastings, wine- and food-pairings, educational wine presentations and private tastings with the Valley's most esteemed winemakers.

A host of activities

Activities will include: meet-the-winemaker tastings, brandy tours and tastings, vineyard tractor trips, river cruises, sunset game drives, cheese- and olive tastings, a simulated rodeo bull, side-cars for hire, the half-marathon and mountain bike challenge, the Robertson Winter Market, helicopter flips, local performing artists and a new original theatre act. There will also be a gastronomic extravaganza, including oysters, perlemoen, sushi, riverside picnics, Italian cuisine and potjiekos. Children's activities will include fishing, farmyard tours, feeding farm animals, pony rides, paintball and face-painting.

Zero Tolerance Policy

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 minibus. Drivers who register for the Designated Driver Programme will be rewarded with a whole host of "complimentaries" including free coffee, soft drinks, coupons and special deals.

Wacky Wine Weekend Bus-In Packages are also available. A2B Tours will be offering one-day packages, with transport departing from the Waterfront, Tyger Valley, Stellenbosch (Butterfly World) and Paarl, to Robertson, and "Buddy Bus" transport between the participating wineries.

For visitors from further afield, Beyond Reach has once again put together great Fly-In Packages that include flights, car rental and accommodation.

Weekend passport

An R80 passport, valid for the whole weekend, must be purchased at the first port-of-call, (any of the participating wineries). The passport includes: a stylish tasting glass, free 25ml wine-tasting samples, and a goodie bag, 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.

For the programme of activities, go to www.wackywineweekend.com. Many of the activities need to be pre-booked directly with the respective wineries.

Designated Driver Programme: Register at the Wacky Wine Weekend office or any of the valley's tourism offices.

Buddy Bus: Buddy Bus costs vary between R195 and R300 per person. The service will be available from 8am to 7pm and guests will be collected and returned to their accommodation. Bookings must be made in advance.

Accommodation: go to www.robertsonwinevalley.com. Accommodation establishments will require the payment of a deposit to secure the booking.

Bus-in Packages: book Day Packages with A2B Tours. Group bookings of between eight and 40 passengers for day trips cost R350 per person and include "Buddy Bus" transport between the participating wineries. Bookings close 25 May. Contact Jacques on +27 (0)83 258 4769 or az.oc.sretrahcb2a@ofni.

Fly-In Packages: book with Beyond Reach: +27 (0)23 614 3937/(0)72 203 2457 or az.oc.acirfahcaerdnoyeb@ofni.

Enquiries: contact the Robertson Wine Valley on +27 (0)23 626 3167 or email moc.yellaveniwnostrebor@reganam. Go to the Wacky Wine Weekend website, www.wackywineweekend.com.