Lutzville Vineyards

About Winery and Wines

The Khoi Khoi, an indigenous African tribe, were the first people to inhabit the area where the Lutzville vineyards are today. A nomadic tribe, the Khoi Khoi grazed their prime cattle on the fertile banks and pastures of the deep, powerful and slow-moving river in the Lutzville area. Elephants roamed the valleys during this time before migrating northwards. The first European settlers exploring the West Coast from the Cape of Good Hope around 1680 named the region the Olifants (or Elephant) River after these graceful beasts. European explorers frequently ventured off the beaten track up the West Coast in search for new land, fabled riches and adventure. When the explorers were tired and weary, they found shelter in a rocky outcrop inhabited by bats on the outskirts of what is now known as Lutzville. In the morning view, many of the adventurers immediately recognised the potential of the fertile valley and bountiful river as an agricultural settlement and decided to stay and enjoy the serene beauty of the West Coast. Over the slow course of time, the valley that stretches forever along the river was planted with vineyards yielding wines of superior quality that today belong to the West Coast Wine Route. The first signs of viticulture and wine making are recorded by a French explorer and collector, by the name of François Le Vaillant (similar to a French Charles Darwin). He records purchasing “some strong liquor” from a certain widow Van Zeijl near the end of the 1700’s. About 200 years later, in 1963, Lutzville winery was born. From this time, Lutzville has continued to grow and produce elegant, honest, fruit forward, easy drinking wines from South Africa’s West Coast. Although the landscape has changed, the quintessential West Coast character remains the same. From the moment you open and enjoy a bottle of Lutzville, you will experience the warmth, purity and pioneering spirit of the West Coast. Venture off the beaten track and discover Lutzville wines.