Prepare to get your hands dirty as you harvest the best of the Robertson Wine Valley, from Friday 24 February until Sunday 26 February.

With harvest time around the corner, it is time to make plans to head out to the Robertson Wine Valley to experience the ‘magic of harvest’. Given the success of the previous events, the Valley’s fourth Hands-On Harvest is a festival not to be missed! This year’s Hands-On Harvest will be taking place from Friday, 24 until Sunday, 26 February 2012, and this boutique fun-filled family event promises to offer a wide variety of activities that will appeal to both wine lovers and budding vintners.

Here are just a ‘handful’ of the myriad activities on offer at the 2012 Hands-On Harvest.

• Experience the excitement of harvesting one’s own grapes;
• Witness the art of wine-making;
• Enjoy a sumptuous farm breakfast while overlooking the vineyards;
• Take a ‘breakfast boat trip’ on the Breede River;
• Make a family event of grape-stomping;
• Take part in a wine-tasting trail, on horseback or by horse-and-cart;
• Take a tractor trip through the vineyards and experience the landscape from a different vantage point;
• Picnic in the vineyards;
• Relish an abundant ‘harvest-lunch’ while sipping on the fizz of award-winning bubblies;
• Be treated to an engaging discussion on ‘Grape vs Wine’ and compare the flavours of the grapes with the resulting wine;
• Shop at leisure and spoil oneself at the Harvest Market;
• Be educated through informative talks and demonstrations;
• Savour cocktails with ‘eish’ at Klipdrift;
• Indulge oneself at the Harvest Spit-braai;
• Relish a delicious, bountiful Harvest Dinner prepared by a Master Chef.

As some of the wineries participating in ‘Hands-On Harvest’ are not ordinarily open to the public, the focus will be on hosting a series of intimate events. This ensures that guests enjoy the best, most personalised and ‘hands-on’ experiences.

Programme: Visit www.handsonharvest.com for the programme of activities (which includes contact details for participating wineries). The programme will be available from 18 November 2011.

Bookings: All bookings to be made direct with participating wineries by no later than 22 February. Payment is required in advance.

Accommodation: Visit the web-based regional brochure, www.robertsonwinevalley.com, for accommodation options.

Enquiries: Contact Elizma Spangenberg at the Robertson Wine Valley office by calling tel: 023 626 3167, emailing: manager@robertsonwinevalley.com or visiting the website: www.robertsonwinevalley.com.