Most of the vineyards of this, the southern most point of Africa, are found in the little village of Elim. The pretty village is a national monument in its entirety and lies on a peninsular washed by two oceans – the Indian and Atlantic.
Elim is something of a phenomenon as its unique *‘terroir’ has caused much excitement in the wine community worldwide. The cool and strong winds that prevail – south westerly and south easterly – have the effect of providing a very cool ripening season, perfect for Sauvignon Blanc and promising for Semillon and Shiraz.
But more than that, this aspect, together with other climatic factors, results in the vineyards here developing unique explosive flavours that have not been tasted before, even by seasoned connoisseurs. The farms here have as their slogan – ‘Real wine, Real people’ and this encapsulates the atmosphere and flavoursome wines in this little hamlet.
*(terroir refers to the natural features of an area of land – such as climate, soil, geology – that combine to create a unique set of conditions influencing the characteristics of a wine produced in this area).
