Discover Elgin - Elegant Wines from South Africa's Cool Climate

The Elgin Valley is famous for its apple orchards and is one of South Africa's most managed districts. However, Elgin has evolved into one of the most remarkable and successful wine regions in the country. A key reason is its cool climate, allowing grapes to ripen slowly, resulting in exceptional wines. Particularly Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir thrive in this cooler climate.

Vineyards in the lush highlands

If one translates the word Elgin into German, it means “large, lush land surrounded by mountains.” This aptly describes the wide highland valley in the South African Overberg region, about 70 km southeast of Cape Town. The Elgin region lies amidst the ancient sandstone Hottentots Holland Mountains around the town of Grabouw in the District Elgin, part of the Cape South Coast and thus the broader Western Cape.

Top wines from South Africa's cool climates

The wineries in Elgin Valley are relatively young yet have already won numerous international awards. The cooler climate is just one factor of their success. Proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, prevailing winds, elevation, and ample rainfall create conditions for winemaking unique to the Elgin Basin. The highest vineyard in Elgin is over 500 meters above sea level.

Wines of genuine fruit and elegance

In Elgin, Pinotage vines grow on steep slopes of the Spioenkop Hills in Grabouw, with drops of nearly a hundred meters. Other varietals such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz are found in the Elgin Valley. In this cool terroir, their grapes ripen late, leading to top wines of unique fruit and elegance. Burgundy-style wines emerge from this region too.

A Master of Wine and his cool-climate wines

The unique climatic conditions attracted a Master of Wine to the Elgin region. The British wine expert Richard Kershaw acquired five hectares of land on a plateau and cultivated his preferred varietals Chardonnay and Syrah, aiming to produce cool-climate wines. Since 2010, Kershaw has presented a series of fresh top wines from Elgin each year under the brand “Richard Kershaw Wines”, consistently creating a stir on the international scene. His Shiraz stands out from the typical regional offerings. In 2011, Richard Kershaw became the first wine-producing Master of Wine in South Africa.

Award-winning wines and spirits from Blomendahl Winery

In the cool climate of South Africa's Elgin region lies the winery “Blomendahl”, focusing on crafting high-quality wines. Winemaker FJ Blomendahl, with 35 years of international experience, has pursued his dreams of producing award-winning wines and spirits since 2003 with his son, Benedikt Blomendahl. At Blomendahl, the grapes also serve as the foundation for their own gin and vodka. The Blomendahl Vodka has been recognized as one of the best globally, winning awards at the 2019 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards.

Elegant wines from the Sutherland brand

A former apple farm in Elgin served as the foundation for the Sutherland brand from the Thelema winery. Winemaker Gyles Webb launched his first wine “Thelema” in Stellenbosch in 1988, quickly achieving success. In 2002 he sought a new challenge in Elgin. This former newcomer now ranks among South Africa’s leading winemakers and owns one of the coolest farms in Elgin near the Helshoogte Pass. For his Sutherland brand, he mainly planted Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. In the cold maritime climate, the grapes develop into elegant wines with great minerality and concentrated fruit flavors.

Historic wine project with exemplary character

The Elgin Valley is also historically significant for South Africa's wine history. Here, the colored population was allowed to own vineyards earlier than in other parts of the country. The winery “Thandi” in Elgin is one of the youngest vineyards and is the second to be entirely managed by people of color. “Thandi” means “love” in Xhosa.

Cluver family hands vineyards to farmworker families

The longstanding Dutch-descendant family Cluver named their initiative “Thandi” in 1995. They made a statement by dedicating an unused portion of their estate Paul Cluver to former workers. Almost 250 farming families were also awarded land by the government, allowing “Thandi” to encompass over 200 hectares of vineyards producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Thandi wine - the world’s first with Fairtrade certification

In 2002, “Thandi Wines” launched its first wine. A year later, their labels featured the Fairtrade seal – making them the first wine company in the world to receive this recognition. This has established “Thandi Wines” as a leader in Fairtrade wines internationally.