Ray Smuts
A MAJOR project aimed at advancing the stakeholding by rural workers in the wine industry has been launched near Lutzville on the Cape West Coast by the SA Wine Industry Trust (SAWIT).
Two prominent farmers in the area, Truter Lutz and Jan Louw, have earmarked a 420ha tract of land now known as Lutouw Estates along the Olifants River near Lutzville.
The land was purchased with a view to growing premier quality grapes. Despite its location, summer temperatures are comparable with those at Constantia and Somerset West, renowned for the excellence of their wines.
Lutouw Estates is 50%-owned by Lutz and Louw while a further 10% is held by Oliphants Beleggings and the remaining 40% by SAWIT on behalf of 30 local wine farm workers currently employed by Lutz and Louw. The idea is that SAWIT will warehouse the workers' shares until they can buy them back.
Plans are afoot to plant 30ha a year with noble varietals such as shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc, all aimed at niche markets overseas.
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