Alvi's Drift

Welcome to the heart of the Breede River Valley, around two hours by car from Cape Town, South Africa. Here, in a land where nature expresses itself with overwhelming strength and generosity, stands Alvi’s Drift, a private winery with one of the most fascinating family and winemaking stories in South Africa. Everything began in 1928, when family patriarch Albertus Viljoen van der Merwe, still affectionately known today as “Oupa Alvi” (Grandpa Alvi), purchased fertile land along the banks of the Breede River. Oupa Alvi was no ordinary man: alongside his visionary approach to farming, he was a pillar of the local community and an outstanding rugby player, famously scoring the first historic try for the Springboks (the South African national team) against the All Blacks on African soil. In 1930, to allow residents and workers to cross the river safely, he had a low-level bridge built. That structure quickly became known as “Alvi’s Drift”, meaning Alvi’s ford, a landmark that proudly gives the winery its name today, celebrating its strong connection to the land and the community spirit of its origins. Today, the estate is run by the third generation of the family, with Alvi van der Merwe, grandson of the founder and a former doctor turned winemaker, working alongside his brother Johan. The property is a vast and vibrant ecosystem: in addition to around 410 hectares of vineyards, it includes a modern dairy, orchards and even a private game reserve where native species such as springbok, eland and ostriches roam freely.