The Matriarch

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About Olifantsberg

Small production terroir driven wines

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.