It is, admittedly, vaguely disillusioning when Minki Visser (née Van der Westhuizen) makes her entrance neither sheathed in body-cosseting, cleavage-popping couture nor flanked by black-suited bodyguards bearing bottles of Mumm Champagne.

If you have flipped through any of the better local glossy magazines lately, you've more than likely seen the print advertisements for the Champagne marque featuring the home-grown, internationally celebrated honey in one or other coquettish pose: strutting her stuff along some imaginary red carpet, shielded against the glare of the omnipresent paparazzi behind the kind of over-sized sunglasses favoured by Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie, or draped on a chaise lounge, swathed in a lustrously beaded gown.

With her blonde hair scraped back, and viewed in semi profile, she could be a more youthful Sharon Stone.

She is, really, a celebrity in every sense of the word. She's modelled in campaigns for US über fashion label Guess and a top UK lingerie brand, languished in barely-there bikinis across the pages of 'SA Sports Illustrated’s' annual swimwear issue since 2002, been voted by 'FHM' readers as the country's sexiest woman, starred in a big-budget local movie ('Big Fellas') and more recently debuted on our television screens as a presenter for lifestyle programme 'Pasella'. Oh, and she finds time for charity projects too.

So when Visser breezes into the restaurant — her restaurant — where we meet, it's hard to tell straightaway whether it's actually the famous model. Fresh faced, wearing neat, low-rise jeans, a ruffle-fronted shirt and flat pumps, she could be any of the pretty but fairly conservative 24-year-olds that populate Stellenbosch.

Except the petite model ("the same height as Kate Moss but curvier," she says) is every inch the much-photographed-and-interviewed, universally desired Minki, whom even US soldiers in Iraq ranked as their favourite pin-up girl.

"But I'm officially Minki Visser now," she says, having picked up her new ID book last month and all but blowing kisses to her husband, Constant Visser, who has arrived with her at their restaurant-slash-wine bar in the centre of town.

The couple celebrated their first anniversary in September and, while other recently-weds might get straight to the business of starting a family, Visser has been juggling a brisk schedule for 'Pasella' (she's about to jet off to Switzerland for a week) as well as contributing to their substitute baby, The Library, the restaurant they opened in February but have spent the last few months perfecting in time for the coming season.

Champagne or red wine?

"I want to have Constant all to myself for a while," she says with the infectious laugh that punctuates her conversation.

"We also first want to get our restaurant off the ground. It's been Constant's dream to have a place like this," she adds, ordering a spicy Virgin Mary with a smile and a friendly "how are you?" for the waiter.

While it's never too early to be ordering sparkling wine rather than tomato cocktails, you get the feeling that her smooth, unblemished complexion and clear, green eyes are an investment requiring a certain amount of respect when it comes to indulgences such as Champagne.

This despite the fact that Visser last year signed a deal to represent Mumm as its 'official face' in South Africa.

According to David de Mardt, managing director of Stellenbosch-based distributors Pernod Ricard, she was an obvious choice: "Minki is a local beauty with a dynamic character and personality, who at all times displays the finesse and elegance of a natural spokesperson, traits which mirror those of Mumm Champagne."

It can't have hurt that the model's husband has had business dealings via his printing company with Pernod Ricard for several years. But, then, Stellenbosch is a small town, and Visser is not exactly the girl next door. She's a star, and especially attractive ones do wonders for moving luxury commodities such as Champagne (a zillion celebrity endorsements refer), whether or not they fully live the champagne life.

"We do love our bubbly," she hastens to add, admitting that she's kept well stocked because of the Mumm campaign.

"We drink it at all the obvious romantic moments, if there are oysters or when we're in a group going to Franschhoek. We drink a lot more bubbly and white wine in summer, but in the evenings I'm afraid I'm a red wine girl."

It's not yet certain whether Visser will continue to represent the marque beyond the year-long contract to use her image, but there are a further two shots courtesy of acclaimed photographer Justin Polkey yet to appear on local magazine pages.

At this point, Visser steps in and points out his personal favourite: the one where his wife, wrapped in a slip of a gold dress, sits dreamily and tousle-haired on a bare wooden floor, jewelled stilettos kicked off.

"I also like this one the most — because it looks like me," she comments.

Visser might have seen and done more than most women her age, yet she comes across as innocent as she is experienced; don't forget, she's even been part of the WAG set as the girlfriend of former Proteas' captain Graeme Smith. Yet she's also the girl who turned down a personal request to meet with tattooed singer Robbie Williams.

'No-nonsense woman'

You can tell she's a no-nonsense woman whose head is firmly on her shoulders. She's clearly carved a decent livelihood for herself out of her modelling career, which she believes still has "big things" in store for her: "It depends on what I put into it. It's more difficult now that I'm married, but marrying early was what I wanted. I'm exactly where I want to be in my life."

Her husband continues to support her career every step of the way. "I couldn't ask for more," she says.

And he doesn’t mind all the attention she gets? "Constant actually feels flattered; after all, he gets to go home with me."

She talks about how she got into modelling as a 16-year-old schoolgirl in Durbanville and how, by the time she was in Matric, she was already notching up magazine covers (to date, she's graced the cover of every significant women's and men's title).

But she's remained remarkably down to earth. "I never allowed myself to get scooped up in that whole model vibe," she says of her months spent modelling overseas.

She recalls how other girls would boast about weekends in St Tropez, lured by "yucky old men" to their yachts, promising them "the moon and the stars". Instead, she says, "I did what I had to do, and then I went home".

In fact, for Visser, there's nothing better than being at home, a glass of Shiraz in hand while lying on the couch watching TV. She might even order in her favourite food — pizza — and chill out to Cat Stevens, Diana Ross or the Bee Gees (she has old-school music tastes).

Read more about Minki and The Library on the second page.

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