Olifantsberg estate landscape
Olifantsberg logo

Nothing comes easily on Olifantsberg Mountain. As the only wine estate on its rugged slopes, vines battle relentless winds, rocky shale and schist soils, and a rugged mountain climate. Passionately led by acclaimed winemaker Elizma Visser, this untamed energy is transformed into sought-after wines that capture the very soul of the mountain.

Olifantsberg vineyard and estate - image 1

Viticulturist & Winemaker

Elizma Visser

Olifantsberg (literally "Elephant Mountain", a name the estate honors in its Beneath Our Feet range) is a small-production estate high on the slopes of the Olifantsberg mountain in the Breedekloof region, where very dry conditions and diverse schist and decomposed sandstone soils lend themselves to low-yielding vines and unique varietals rarely found elsewhere in South Africa. The estate's elevated position and distinctive terroir create wines of remarkable character.

Acclaimed winemaker Elizma Visser is the driving force behind Olifantsberg's growing reputation. Her main focus is producing wines that capture this unique location, its diverse soils, and the natural expression of her vineyards. Climate-change adaptation is built into the farming itself: the estate uses the high-density Échalas vine-training system to give each vine its own cooling micro-climate. She works with a range of Mediterranean varietals (Grenache Blanc, Grenache Noir, Carignan, Syrah, Roussanne) alongside South African classics like Chenin Blanc and Pinotage.

Elizma uses a natural approach with minimal intervention to produce wines full of fruit and elegance. From the accessible Beneath Our Feet range to the flagship single-varietal wines and the celebrated Matriarch and Bull blends, every bottle reflects the wild beauty and distinctive terroir of this remarkable Breedekloof site.

The strong wind teases the vineyards all year round. It is a positive struggle, because it yields small, concentrated berries full of flavor and quality.

Elizma Visser

Attributes

SustainableWomen-LedVeganOld Vine

Spotlight - the wild Olifantsberg

Soul of the Mountain

Although part of the Breedekloof Wine Valley, Olifantsberg stands entirely apart. As the only wine estate on Olifantsberg Mountain, it occupies a rugged, windswept landscape where steep shale and schist slopes, high altitude and relentless mountain winds create an environment unlike anywhere else in South Africa. Here, vines have to fight the elements and gain wisdom. Every berry is earned through a positive struggle, resulting in wines of extraordinary purity, freshness and unmistakable character.

This is the Soul of the Mountain - a place where there is listening and nurturing, Mediterranean varieties flourish where others cannot, and every bottle carries the wild energy of a mountain that refuses to be tamed. Under the fearless leadership of Elizma and Ferdi Visser, that raw power is transformed into wines of precision, elegance and authenticity, expressing a terroir unlike any other in the Cape.

The Breedekloof mountainside above Olifantsberg - fynbos slopes and dry-farmed vineyards in the valley at golden hour

The Wines

Beneath Our Feet Red bottle shot

Beneath Our Feet Red

Red Blend

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Beneath Our Feet White bottle shot

Beneath Our Feet White

White Blend

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Old Vine Chenin Blanc bottle shot

Old Vine Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc

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Grenache Blanc bottle shot

Grenache Blanc

Grenache Blanc

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Grenache Noir bottle shot

Grenache Noir

Grenache Noir

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Carignan bottle shot

Carignan

Carignan

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Pinotage bottle shot

Pinotage

Pinotage

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Syrah bottle shot

Syrah

Syrah

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The Matriarch bottle shot

The Matriarch

White Blend

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The Bull bottle shot

The Bull

Red Blend

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Wine Portfolio

Vine Talker

Download the complete wine portfolio for Olifantsberg - tasting notes, vineyard details, and everything you need.

Download Vine Talker PDF

Where they sit on the Cape

Olifantsberg on the producer map

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