Olivedale Private Vineyards
オリーブデール・プライベート・ヴィンヤーズ
A barefoot winemaker's natural-wine adventure on virgin Overberg soil.
About Olivedale Private Vineyards
Olivedale Private Vineyards is a boutique estate founded by Carl van Wyk — known locally as the "barefoot winemaker of the Overberg" — in the rural settlement of Olivedale, within the Buffeljagsrivier community of the Swellendam district, at the foot of the Langeberg mountains. Despite its name, the estate has little to do with cultivated olives: it takes its name from the indigenous olievenhout (wild olive trees) still found in the surrounding countryside. Carl selected the site around 2010 for its diverse patches of virgin soil that had never been treated with chemicals, and the first vines were planted in 2012 across what is now roughly 22 hectares of highly varied soil profiles. The project grew out of a chance meeting with Belgian partners who were drawn to Carl's natural-wine philosophy and invested in building a winery in a district with almost no prior winemaking history. Olivedale follows a minimal-intervention, nature-led approach: grapes are picked two to three weeks later than in neighbouring regions for slow, stress-free ripening, fermentation uses both wild and cultivated yeasts depending on the parcel, and wines are aged in a mix of French oak and clay according to what each vineyard block calls for. The range is organised into four series — Impressions of Nature, Respect for Nature, Mystery of Nature and Masterpiece of Nature — spanning whites such as Chardonnay and Verdejo/Verdelho, a rosé, and reds including a widely praised Roobernet among other varieties. Tastings at the farm are by appointment.
Who Is This For?
For drinkers curious about lesser-known South African terroir, minimal-intervention winemaking, and small, story-driven estates off the beaten path.
Wines of Olivedale Private Vineyards
No cuvées registered yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is Olivedale Private Vineyards located?
- Olivedale is located in the rural settlement of Buffeljagsrivier, in the Swellendam district of the Overberg region, Western Cape, South Africa, at the foot of the Langeberg mountains.
- Who owns and makes the wine at Olivedale?
- The estate was founded and is run by Carl van Wyk, known locally as the "barefoot winemaker of the Overberg," who designed the vineyard plantings and winemaking approach from the ground up.
- Why is it called Olivedale if it doesn't focus on olives?
- The name is something of a misnomer: it refers to the indigenous olievenhout (wild olive trees) still found around Swellendam, rather than to cultivated olive groves.
- What is Olivedale's winemaking philosophy?
- Olivedale practices minimal-intervention, nature-led winemaking on virgin, chemical-free soils, picking later than neighbouring farms for slow ripening and using a flexible mix of wild/cultivated fermentation and French oak or clay ageing depending on the parcel.
- What wines does Olivedale produce?
- The range spans four series — Impressions of Nature, Respect for Nature, Mystery of Nature and Masterpiece of Nature — including Chardonnay and Verdejo/Verdelho whites, a rosé, and reds such as the acclaimed Roobernet.