Sometimes, life’s best memories come in the simplest moments: the clink of a glass, the crackle of a campfire, or the warmth of shared stories. In those moments, wine flows not just as a drink but as a connection to the past, present, and future. Inspired by a man who embodied such moments, we are proud to introduce The Roy – a Rhino Africa wine, carefully cultured and hand-crafted in honour of Roy Ryan, the driving force behind its creation. A wine as rich in character as the man it represents.
Roy Ryan, the muse behind Rhino Africa’s wine, The Roy, Image Credit: Flash Poets Photography
A Bold Tribute to a Life Well Lived
Roy Ryan, father of myself, Terence, my sister Tracy, and my brother, Rhino Africa’s CEO, David Ryan, left a lasting legacy when he passed away in 2023. Now, through this bottle, our family has captured the character of a man who embraced life fully and taught his children to do the same.
From left to right, David, Tracy and me, Image Credit: Flash Poets Photography
Crafted from grapes harvested in the vineyards of the rugged Cederberg mountains, The Roy is an ode to both Roy’s favourite places and his irrepressible spirit. It’s a wine with soul, a gentle force, much like my father, Roy. It mirrors his adventurous heart, with a robust body and subtle tannins, offering notes of dark fruit that feel as familiar as a well-worn path through the mountains.
Roy’s adventurous spirit extended beyond cold mornings up the West Coast
Symbolism in Every Sip
The bottle itself is a thing of beauty – black, like the night sky in the mountains where Roy found solace under a canopy of stars. Embossed in rich gold, the label tells a story all on its own. At the centre you’ll notice the most personal of touches – my father’s iconic reading glasses, placed upside down as though he’s just removed them for a well-deserved rest. It’s a subtle nod to the moments of pause after a life brimming with exploration.
The bottle is not just a vessel but a work of art
Encircling his glasses are stars. Three larger stars symbolise his children who were the pillars of his world. Four smaller stars represent his cherished grandchildren, each one a twinkling extension of his legacy. And then there’s the smallest star, glimmering with quiet promise, a representation of future generations yet to come.
The Roy is a wine with soul, and like Roy Ryan himself, it’s a force to be reckoned with – gentle yet vibrant
It’s a bottle that reflects the constellation of his life, one filled with love, family, and stories told around campfires and dinner tables. But where did the inspiration for The Roy wine truly begin? With cold-water dives, crayfish dinners, and a bottle of Old Brown Sherry, of course…
One of our Ryan family portraits, Image Credit: Flash Poets Photography
Cold Dives, Crayfish Dinners, and Old Brown Sherry
It was a spectacular, beautiful winter morning when we set out for Kommetjie Lighthouse to handpick tonight’s dinner. As a family, we loved fishing for West Coast lobster (crayfish) on the rocks. I think it was here that the early memories of wine-drinking experiences surfaced – but it was not for the sophisticated food pairing, but for survival, or at least that’s how my father Roy told the story.
The icy waters of South Africa’s West Coast were no match for Roy Ryan
Most weekends, our dad, along with Uncle Ted (who could have been his twin brother), would head down the beach in their wetsuits, goggles and snorkels, with a small bottle of “survival” – Old Brown Sherry. A quick swig before stashing it in a bush, they would dive into the icy waters for an hour or so to catch our dinner. As they returned, the trusted sherry awaited, warming them up as they emerged from the cold.
This routine became a cherished part of their friendship, with Old Brown Sherry making appearances around campfires in the Cederberg and during cycling trips across the Damaraland Desert.
Most weekends, Roy, along with Uncle Ted, would head down the beach in their wetsuits with a small bottle of “survival”
Christmas in the Cederberg
Yet Roy’s adventures weren’t limited to the beach. His love for the mountains of the Cederberg was legendary. Each Christmas, he and Uncle Ted would take time off work to personally book the family’s camping spot.
Pretty much the full family camping in the Cederberg region, Roy’s devotion to his family was limitless
The requirements for the camping spot were fairly straightforward: close to the pool, flat, and with ample grassy space for all of the children to run around. Well, this was one of those stories Dad would tell us. Personally, I believe it was the perfect excuse to take time away and walk the Cederberg mountains.
Roy spent a lifetime enjoying the Cederberg mountains
A Sprinkle of Wine Fairy Magic
It’s only fitting, then, that The Roy was born out of a desire to bottle not just wine but memories. For our family, the choice of wine was as personal as the man it honours. Working with charismatic Katie Barratt, famously known in the Western Cape as the “Wine Fairy”, we set out to create a wine that told Roy’s tale.
Katie understood our family’s vision, capturing it in an extraordinary bottle now called “The Roy”, Image Credit: The Wine Fairy
As we reminisced about Dad with Katie, we had three simple criteria for the wine. The criteria were simple. First, the wine had to reflect Roy’s roots, so we chose Tempranillo – a European varietal that linked back to Roy’s early years in the North of England while still embracing his South African spirit. Second, the grapes had to come from the Cederberg, the mountains he loved. Finally, the wine had to capture his love for arts and theatre, something unique that could spark conversation and connection.
Kind and compassionate, Roy touched the hearts of all those who knew him
Bold, Rich, and Full of Life
Katie, with her knack for blending tradition with a touch of magic, did just that. Tempranillo is no ordinary grape – it’s known for its boldness and is often blended in port wines, bringing Roy’s story full circle.
From the Old Brown Sherry days to the creation of The Roy, this wine holds the same warmth and camaraderie that accompanied those early dives for crayfish. But unlike the survival sherry of yesteryears, The Roy is refined, rich with dark fruit notes, and offers an experience meant to be shared, just like Roy shared his life with everyone around him.
Roy’s dedication to family knew no bounds, and his memory will be cherished for generations to come
Let’s Raise a Glass
And so, when you open a bottle of The Roy, you’re not just uncorking a wine – you’re stepping into a moment. A moment of remembrance, a toast to a man whose life was as full-bodied as the wine itself, and a chance to create new stories while keeping his memory alive.
Raise a glass to Roy, to family, to the memories we carry forward – and perhaps, to adventures yet to be had.
