Viewed from Cape Town, Olifants River is the northernmost wine-growing region in South Africa, stretching like a ribbon north from Citrusdal parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, starting about 450 kilometres from Cape Town. The climate is extremely warm with little rainfall, but the soil is very fertile, so that fruit, vegetables and grapes are all grown here in a form of mixed cultivation. In addition to a flourishing market for oranges, there are about 7,000 hectares of vines, but only a few wineries produce really top quality. Much of the juice goes into distillation for brandy production. The warm climate requires irrigation - for fruit growing as well as for viticulture. The soils of sandstone and shale in combination with the warm temperatures, especially during the growing season, offer excellent conditions for red varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and South Africa's speciality, Pinotage. Every-day, good value white wines are also produced, mainly from Chenin Blanc and Colombard. The elephants that once gave the river its name have disappeared, but many other animals can still be found in this fertile landscape, such as ostriches and antelopes.
