Area Conserved: 500 ha Wine District: Elgin Owner / Contact Person: Sir Anthony Rawbone-Viljoen Phone: (021) 859 2510 Website: www.oakvalleywines.com

Oak Valley Estate, owned by Sir Anthony Rawbone-Viljoen, is located next to the N2 in the Elgin Valley. The estate is named after the approximately 30 hectares of Oak trees planted at the turn of the century by the original owner, Sir Antony Viljoen, who was a Senator in the Cape Parliament and knighted in 1916 for his efforts to bring together Boer and Brit in the bitter aftermath of the Boer War.

Oak Valley Estate is a founder member of the Groenlandberg Conservancy and is one of the producers that form part of the Green Mountain Eco Route, the world’s first ever biodiversity wine route, formed to promote conservation of fynbos, eco-tourism and wine. The mountain area of the property consists of 500 ha of Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos, which is directly adjacent to the provincial Groenlandberg Nature Reserve on the Groenberg mountain. Oak Valley’s fynbos is in the process of being systematically cleared of alien species and the work is continuing annually. Oak Valley has recently obtained the assistance of Flora Fanatics, a group aligned to the Botanical Society of South Africa, to undertake a detailed survey of the flora found on the Oak Valley, and they were excited to discover 4 Red Data Book species in 2005. Oak Valley’s reputation extends beyond just wines - Oak Valley Flowers, is the largest grower and marketer of commercial cut flowers outside of Gauteng, and has 11ha of greenhouses on Oak Valley Estate which are the main supplier to Woolworths.