The history of the estate reaches back to the early settlement of the Franschhoek Valley. The land originally formed part of the La Provence farm, which was granted to French Huguenots in 1694. The estate later bore names such as Zanddrift and Paulinas Dal. Wine has been produced here since 1797. In the 19th century, the farm belonged to Paulina Pepler, one of South Africa's early female landowners, who still holds an established place in the history of Rickety Bridge today.

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Rickety Bridge has been owned by the Crosbie family since December 2023. Simon and Melissa Crosbie are developing the historic estate with a stronger focus on sustainable viticulture, modern cellar technology and the connection between different South African wine origins. Around 15 hectares of vines are cultivated on the estate itself. Some historic vineyard blocks date from 1905, 1954 and 1977.

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The vineyards lie on a range of granite and sandy soils. Cover crops, compost, minimal soil cultivation wherever possible and targeted water management are intended to preserve soil structure and the natural balance. Grapes from the estate's own vineyards are harvested by hand. Rickety Bridge also processes grapes from selected partners in other wine regions of the Western Cape, which means that not every wine comes exclusively from Franschhoek.

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The Foundation Stone Collection forms the versatile core of the range today. It includes Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rosé, Pinotage, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The Chenin Blanc combines notes including quince and herbs with lively acidity, while the Shiraz reveals the more powerful side of the estate with dark fruit, plum, pepper and spice.

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With Regna Loca, Rickety Bridge takes a different approach. For this range, specific grape varieties are deliberately matched with vineyards in South African regions where they find particularly suitable conditions. Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sémillon and Cabernet Sauvignon are among the wines released to date. The collection therefore deliberately reaches beyond Franschhoek and places greater emphasis on the soil, climate and origin of each individual vineyard.

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In the cellar, Rickety Bridge combines modern technology with a restrained approach to handling the wines. Individual vineyard parcels are considered separately, while preserving the origin and character of the vintage. At Vin Africa, Rickety Bridge represents a historic Franschhoek winery that today combines its heritage vineyards with a much broader selection of South African grape varieties and origins.