Kloovenburg Wine & Olive Estate

Kloovenburg sits between the slopes of the Kasteelberg and Riebeekberg mountains in the Riebeek Valley, one of the oldest agricultural areas in the Swartland. The farm has been worked in some capacity since 1704, when Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel granted it to Jan Bothma. It has changed hands many times since, but the chapter that defines Kloovenburg today began in 1956 when the du Toit family took custodianship of the property.

Pieter Stephanus du Toit — known locally as Piet Spiere and a Springbok rugby legend — bought the farm in 1958. He was a BCom graduate from Stellenbosch University, not a farmer by training, and his wife Barbara was a teacher. They learned as they went, building slowly. When their son Pieter joined his father on the farm in 1987 and married Annalene the following year, the next generation brought fresh ambition. In 1997, the du Toits made their first wine: 200 bottles of unfiltered Pinotage, produced entirely by hand and foot. It was a modest beginning for what would become one of the Swartland's most complete wine and food destinations.

Today, Kloovenburg spreads across 300 hectares. Of these, 110 are planted to wine grapes, with the best 30 percent reserved for the estate's own label. The focus is on varieties suited to the warm Swartland climate: Shiraz, Chardonnay, and white and red Rhone grape varieties. But wine is only half the story. The du Toits also farm olives extensively, producing award-winning extra virgin olive oils and olive products that are tasted alongside the wines — a dual offering that is central to the Kloovenburg identity.

The estate's connection to rugby runs deep. Pieter-Steph du Toit, the current generation's star, is one of the most decorated Springbok players in history. Rugby memorabilia from three generations of du Toit players fills the estate, and the property has become a pilgrimage of sorts for fans who want to taste wine in the place where Springbok legends were raised.

The tasting room looks out over panoramic views of the Riebeek Valley, with vineyards, farmland, and mountain scenery in every direction. A restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, platters, and pizza. Self-catering villa accommodation is available for overnight stays. Guided cellar tours, vineyard walks, and animal encounters round out the visitor experience, making Kloovenburg one of the most family-friendly estates in the Swartland — equally welcoming to serious wine enthusiasts, olive oil devotees, rugby fans, and families with young children.