the olifants River Wine Route

The Olifants River Wine Route winds like a beautiful silver thread for 200km along the fertile banks of the Olifants River from Citrusdal to Lutzille. Under the watchful eyes of the surrounding mountain peaks, Gifberg, Maskam and Koebee, the Olifants Valley offers a restful and calm environment of which city dwellers can only dream.

The area known as the Matzikama encompasses the towns of Vanrhynsdorp, Vredendal, Koekenaap, Ebenhaezer, Lutzville and Klawer, and once visited, one will find that lifelong friendships have been formed.

The route consists of only a handful of cellars that over the years have proved to produce excellent wines, capable of competing with the best in the industry and have won gold and silver awards both locally and internationally.

Westcorp and Lutzville Vineyards, two of the largest cellars in South Africa, are on the wine route as well as several petite boutique cellars where visitors are welcomed with open arms and might discover wines that they have only heard about.

All the cellars continuously plan how new available technology can be utilised to produce high quality wines. During the last ten years the planting of many new vineyards has been undertaken. Premium cultivars such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, shiraz, pinotage, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc now constitutes at least 30% of the total production.

To crown it all there is also a special cellar on the route, which amongst other things produces grape pip oil and verjuice. All the cellars on the route have as their prime objective the production of high quality wines and they are continuously planning how new available technology, to produce high quality wines, can be utilized in the production of their wines.

The summer months, from mid January to late March are harvest season, and an excellent time to visit the region - grapes, grape juice and wine, are in abundance and visitors are always welcomed.

To the west, the region borders the Atlantic Ocean. The solitary coast's scenic beauty is challenged only by rich culinary experiences of plump mussels, oysters, calamari, crayfish and abalone in season or linefish pulled from the Benguela Current's cold waters and fried to gold.

The area has many historical interests - visit Lutzville's Mission station, or trace the journey Simon van der Stel took in 1685 in search of copper and minerals - from Cape Town through the Swartland stopping at Vlermuisklip in Lutzville and on to Meerhof's Castle.

Every year, after the first winter rains, the landscape is transformed into a veritable kaleidoscope of colour. Veld flowers of every imaginable hue and fragrance form a flower carpet which draws visitors from far and wide, both national and from overseas. The many circular routes and interesting footpaths, ensures that there is room for all the sightseers. They could visit the “Kokerboom” forest, the old church from a bye-gone era, rock carvings, the only windmill museum in South Africa and much more.