From elephants to vineyards
The story of Lutzville Vineyards dates back to the 1700s when French explorer François Le Vaillant first recorded purchasing “some strong liquor” from a widow Van Zeijl. In those days elephants were said to roam the valley freely among subsistence farms. Over the course of time, the valley that stretches along the meandering river was planted with vineyards yielding wines of superior quality. In 1961 the winery was founded and today it is a private company owned by the producers, and part of the West Coast Wine Route that spreads from Durbanville to Koekenaap. Much has changed since our humble beginnings, but our commitment to creating cool-climate wines that reflect the warm character of the West Coast remains constant.
A match made in heaven
Lutzville Vineyards has 51 producers from 111 farms, all situated on the fertile banks of the Olifants River. A total of 1 800 hectares are planted. The vineyards receive their water supply from the Clanwilliam Dam via a canal system that dates back to 1911 and stretches over 321 km. Fresh sea breezes roll in from the Atlantic Ocean to cool down the vineyards and hot sunny days followed by crisp evenings result in notable temperature fluctuations. Matched with our ideal soils, these micro-climates happily conspire to create the best growing conditions for our grapes, resulting in elegant, fruit-forward, easy-drinking wines. The cool climate is particularly beneficial for our Sauvignon Blanc.
Quality first
Even at scale, quality is the golden thread running through all our processes from grape to bottle. Our experienced team of viticulturists and winemakers ensures that stringent quality control is applied in the vineyard and cellar using advanced technology and equipment, while our in-house laboratory provides additional technical expertise. We are a well-established producer of bulk and bottled wine, offering superior quality and value in the entry-level, premium and ultra-premium segments.
Small footprint, big heart
Sustainability is at the core of our business ethos. This applies to our environmental and production practices, as well as to our customer relationships. Global wine markets have recognised our service excellence, and Lutzville Vineyards currently exports to nearly 30 countries worldwide.
We pride ourselves on our high ethical standards and social accountability. We are the largest accredited Fairtrade winery in South Africa and the only one in our region. Funds generated through Fairtrade premiums empower our rural communities with education, healthcare and worker equity share programmes. Other leading accreditations include BRC, Tesco, Wallmart and WIETA.
At the heart of our winery will always be its people. The community is what drives the heritage of our wines: each as unique and full of flavour as the people from the region.
