Olifants River

Wine-growing region in the north-west of South Africa, named after the 280 km long river (Elephant River). The other regions are Boberg, Breede River Valley, Cape South Coast, Coastal Region and Klein Karoo. The region includes the districts of Citrusdal Mountain (with Ward Piekenierskloof), Citrusdal Valley and Lutzville Valley (with Ward Koekenaap), as well as the independent non-district wards of Bamboes Bay, Spruitdrift and Vredendal. Olifants River extends in the form of a ribbon from Citrusdal in the south along the river to its mouth into the Atlantic Ocean at Lutzville in the north. It is here that South Africa's highest vineyard is located at 1,150 metres above sea level in the midst of the Cederberg Mountains. It is the hottest South African wine-growing area and the annual rainfall is only 260 millimetres. Therefore, artificial irrigation is necessary, for which the floods of the Olifant River are used.

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Olifants River

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