The Olifants River Valley is the most western of all the Western Cape wine regions of South Africa. The vineyards are spread across the valley from Citrusdal in the south to Lutzville in the north. Its westerly location means that the climate here is more influenced by the Atlantic than any other regions of the Cape. The vines enjoy a mild climate with misty mornings and sunny days.
Although a bulk grape producing region thanks to a largely co-operative nature of the wine industry, the Olifants River Valley is also home to some of the most quality conscious wine estates producing a range of wines using grape varieties like Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. It is worth mentioning though that the region's climate is particularly suitable for the white varieties and naturally the volume of these grapes grown here far outweighs the reds. A lot of the production is also used for distillation.
As at mid 2009, South Africa's biggest single winery, the Vredendal Co-operative was based in the Olifants River Valley.
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