Wine-growing region (also known as Little Karoo) in South Africa, which stretches in an elongated form from the neighbouring Breede River Valley region in the west to the coast of the Indian Ocean. The name Karoo is of Hottentot origin and is derived from "kurú" (dry), which refers to the hot, dry climate with little rainfall. The region comprises the districts of Calitzdorp and Langeberg-Garcia, as well as the five wards of Montagu, Outeniqua, Tradouw, Tradouw Highlands and Upper Langkloof. The area is particularly famous for its ostrich farms and sheep farming.
The vineyards cover 2,904 hectares of vines and stretch for 250 kilometres in the Karoo Basin amidst bizarre mountain landscapes, mainly in valleys, along rivers and in gorges. Many of them are located on sandy alluvial soils on the banks of rivers that are used for irrigation. In this extremely dry area with very little rainfall, viticulture is only possible with artificial irrigation. The "Route 62" wine route, which runs 850 kilometres from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, runs through the region.
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