Wine from Short Street

Situated at the very heart of South Africa’s Swartland wine region, Short Street is the shortest street in the Riebeek Valley. The street is small, but full of life – you’ll find gourmet fare, fresh produce, artisans, music and more. The vibrancy of Short Street is captured in these classic W.O. Swartland wines.

UNIQUE TERROIR
The Swartland is a rugged place of untamed beauty and unique, distinctive terroir.
The terroir of the Riebeek Valley is mainly affected by a Mediterranean climate and diverse, prehistoric Sandstone and Shale soils from the majestic Kasteelberg Mountain. Both significantly influence the style and quality of our wines.
Average age of the vines is 12 years. Oldest are 47 year old bush-vines.

The vineyards are situated at heights that vary from 60m to 300m above sea level, against the slopes and foothills of the Kasteelberg Mountain. Because of the topography, the soils offer rich diversity, including: Oakleaf and Dundee alluvial soil from the sediment of die Berg River and Swartland and Glenrosa soils from underlying shale along the Kasteelberg Mountain.

Rainfall occurs during winter months with enough cold units to ensure a proper rest phase for the vines before bud-break in early September. The summers are intensely hot and dry with some cooling westerly winds that are ideal conditions for producing fine white and red wines.

A low bearing region with limited irrigation, our key vineyards are still farmed as either dry land farms, or with some supplementary irrigation to help the crop to optimum ripeness. The soils and dry land conditions have proved ideal for bush vine (un-trellised) vineyards. The dry land conditions result in small berries with layered flavour, near perfect colour and soft tannin structures that deliver fruit-driven, expressive wines for the novice and connoisseur alike.

The Riebeek Valley supports a great diversity of varietals that florish here but it is their exceptional Chenin Blanc, Shiraz & Pinotage that shows the best of what the Swartland terroir can do.

The wine team, including a full-time viticulturist, works with our grape growers to sustainably develop varietals and sites that best translates the Swartland terroir. Using only free-run juice from the finest grapes, a passionate wine team craft clean, crisp, well-made wines that are true-to-type with focussed fruit and great purity.

ALECIA BOSHOFF: WINEMAKER & HEAD OF PRODUCTION
“I firmly believe that the specific character of each wine has its origin in the vineyard and therefore my goal is to express the uniqueness of our terroir in each glass of wine. Understanding and harnessing the diversified terroir of the Kasteelberg Mountain and the individuality of each vintage guides me in creating special wines rather than blindly following fixed recipes.”

ERIC SAAYMAN: SENIOR WINEMAKER
“Innovative technology and modern cellar equipment enables me to produce wines that boast sought after titles and prestigious awards. Wine lovers are invited to experience the fruit of our wines and to enjoy true Swartland hospitality.”

THARIEN HANSEN: VITICULTURIST
“Essentially the winemaking process begins in the vineyard as winemakers can only make superior wines from quality grapes. Such grapes are only produced when terroir and sustainable vineyard practices are unified. We partner closely with our wine grape growers to ensure that we get the best from our vineyards and preserve this unique terroir for generations to come. It’s all about respecting what we have, and being passionate and considerate in what we do with it. ”.

THEMBILE NTLOKO & WOUTER LOUBSER: Assistant winemakers.