Olifants, Breede River Valley, Klein Karoo Flashcards
Gateway to get to Walker Bay
Bot River ward
Bot River
Geographic Features
lies btwn
Bot River lagoon
and
foothills of Groenlandberg and Babylonstoren mountain ranges
Bot River
Soils
Bokkeveld shale (predominantly Glen Rosa and Klapmuts) and Table Mountain sandstone
Bot River
Climate
General Character
Bot River
- Cool maritime climate
- Quirky eclectic mix of handcrafted wineries
Breedekloof
Wards
- Goudini
- Slanghoek
Breedekloof Wine Route
Number of wineries
24 wineries
South Africa’s southernmost point
Cape Agulhas
Cape Agulhas
1 ward
Elim
- Where most Cape Agulhas vineyards are located
Year Elim was founded
- 1824
- As a Moravian mission settlement, today a national monument
4 wards of Cape Town
- Philadelphia
- Durbanville
- Constantia
- Hout Bay

Constantia
Annual Rainfall
1,000mm (appx. 40 inch) of rain
- Irrigation is NOT necessary
- vs Chablis 26 inch, Burgundy 30 inch, Bordeaux 37 inch

Year winemaking began in Cape Town
1685

Which is further north, Durbanville or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia

What is the elevation of Durbanville vs. Philadelphia, which is higher?
- Philadelphia - up to 260m (N, Lower)
- Dubanville - up to 380m (S, Higher)

Ward with South Africa’s highest vineyards
Cederberg
Cederberg borders on what major wine region?
Olifants River Region
Central Orange River
Size in ha
6,029 ha
- Stretches in close proximity to the Orange River
Central Orange River
Major Styles and Grapes
White grape area, reds are increasingly being planted
W: Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Chardonnay, Muscadel (both red and white) and Muscat d’Alexandrie
R: Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Tannat
Central Orange River
Trellising
Large trellising systems - hut, gable and T-trellises / create special microclimates which protect the grapes allowing them to ripen away from exposure to the direct rays of the sun
Central Orange River
Styles of wine West vs East
- 350km long region
- East - higher natural acids and lower pH, resulting in lighter, more delicate wines
Darling
Ward
Groenekloof ward

Darling
Groenekloof Main Grape
Sauvignon Blanc
- Benefits from the cooling Atlantic
- Groenekloof is one of the closest regions to the coast
Elgin in relation to Cape Town
Elgin is 1 hour East of Cape Town
Elgin
Aspect and Climate
Elgin
- High elevation
- Cool climate
Elgin’s
Mountain range
Hottentots Holland mountains
- Ancient sandstone
‘Culinary Captial’ of the cape
Franschoek
Franschhoek in relation to Paarl
Franschhoek is SE of Paarl
Franschhoek
4 Mountain ranges
Top of the valley
- Groot Drakenstein mountains
- Franschhoek mountains
South towards Paarl
- Klein Drakenstein mountains
- Simonsberg mountains
Franschhoek
Main River
Berg River
- Streams from the higher peaks flow down to the valley floor where they converge to form the fast-flowing river
Klein Karoo
- Along the R62 from Montagu via higher-lying Barrydale and Ladismith towards Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn and the Langkloof
- Relative extremes with soils and climate
- Highest mountain peaks in Western Cape enclose the area
- Mountains form part of Cape fold belt
- Table Mountain sandstone
- Part of the Bokkeveld shale grouping
- Good water retention
- High nutrient properties
- Vineyards in kloofs, valleys and riverine in a rugged mountainous landscape, ensures quality wines
- Historically: Muscat varieties and sweet wines, plus potstill brandies.
- Today:
- More Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Shiraz
- Red wines from varieties typically used to make port
Kwazulu-Natal
- From Greytown to Oribi Flats and Midlands, where altitudes are up to 1,500m
- Early days as a region, but promising
Malgas

(Ward of Swellendam)
- Pioneering new ward on a stony plateau 80km east of Cape Agulhas
- Mainly drought-resistant Mediterranean varieties, appx 70m above Breede River
- Complex stony soils
- Warm dry climate (350mm ann. rain)
- Moderated by constant sea breezes from coast appx 15km away
- Excellent potential

Olifants River
- Belt, N to S, along broad valley of Olifants River
- Summers in valley range from warm to cool is a little higher
- Low Rainfall
- Soils vary from sandy to red clay loams
- Canopy management (ensures grapes shaded by the vines’ leaves), combined with modern winemaking techniques, the Olifants River is proving to be a source of quality, affordable wines

Olifants River Region
All Wards
- Lutsville:
- Koekenaap
- Citrusdale Mountain
- Piekenierskloof
- Unincorporated:
- Vredendal
- Spruitdrift
-
Bamboes Bay
- West Coast, excitement w/ Sauvignon Blanc

Citrusdal Valley
Soils
- Southern Olifants River Valley
- Mostly citrus-producing
- Sandy alluvial soils surround Table Mountain sandstone
- Irrigation from Clanwilliam dam, water of excellent quality
- High-lying ward of Piekenierskloof
Citrusdal Mountain
1 Ward
Piekenierskloof

Overberg
Overberg
- Newer viticultural areas opened up in the south
- Award-winning wines from Klein River Ward near Stanford

What effect does the Breede River have on its surrounding WO’s?
Much like the Murray in Australia, it provides ready irrigation in a hot climate.
Which two districts of the Breede River Valley contain over 20% of the country’s vineyard acreage, and produce over 25% of the national volume of wine and spirits?
Worcester and Breedekloof
What is the largest district in South Africa by production?
Worcester
What is Robertson known for?
High quality wines, particularly of Shiraz.
Where was Graham Beck founded?
Robertson, in 1983
Currently has vineyards in Stellenbosch as well; at one point had a Franschhoek property as well but it has since been sold.
How do Robertson’s natural features affect its climate?
Generally arid and hot
Irrigated by the Breede River (and tributaries)
Bordered on the south by the Riversonderend Mountains and on the north by the Langeberge, which act as a funnel for cool, southeasterly winds off the ocean
What are the wards of Robertson?
(Clockwise from northwest) Vinkrivier Hoopsrivier Klaasvoogd Bonnievale Boemansrivier McGregor Agterkliphoogte Le Chasseur Eilandia
What are the wards of Worcester?
Hex River Valley (northerly, surrounded by mountains)
Nuy (north of Scherpenheuvel along the Rabiesberg)
Scherpenheuvel (along the Breede itself)
What are the wards of Breedekloof?
Slanghoek
Goudini
Both on alluvial plains rather than at higher elevations
Which district of the Breede River Valley borders Paarl, Wellington, and Tulbagh on its western and northern borders?
Breedekloof
Which district of the Breede River Valley borders the Ceres Plateau to the northwest?
Worcester - also the farthest inland by a significant amount.
What is the dominant focus of Klein Karoo?
Sweet and fortified wine of Muscat and Tinta Barroca
What are the districts of Klein Karoo?
Langeberg-Garcia
Calitzdorp
What are the five unincorporated wards of Klein Karoo?
Montagu (far west) Tradouw Highlands (just north of Swellendam) Tradouw (east of Tradouw) Outeniqua (east of Langeberge Garcia) Upper Langkloof (far east)
Which district of Klein Karoo is most famous for its Port styled wines?
Calitzdorp; Langeberge Garcia is a much younger region.
What two rivers influence Langeberge-Garcia?
Brand (west)
Gourits (east)
What is the largest co-operative winery in South Africa? Where is it located?
Vredendal; located in the Vredendal ward of the Olifants River Region
Where are South Africa’s highest elevation vineyards?
In Cederberg, an unincorporated ward to the east of Olifants River Region
Where is the Olifants River Region? What is its major product?
To the North of Swartland, producing bulk wines of Steen and Colombard
What are the three districts of the Olifants River Region?
Citrusdal Mountain (inland, mountainous) Citrusdal Valley (east of Citrusdal Mountain, between that range and the high Cederberg range) Lutzville Valley (northerly, coastal, where the Oliphants River hits the Atlantic)
What are the three unincorporated wards of the Olifants River Region?
Vredendal (inland, upstream of Lutzville)
Spruitdrift (just upstream of Vredendal)
Bamboes Bay (coastal, directly south of Lutzville Valley)
What is the ward of Lutzville Valley?
Koekenaap
What is the ward of Citrusdal Mountain?
Piekenierskloof (southerly)