Back in 2016, Kallie and Pat Calitz became intrigued by the idea of owning a wine farm in the Garden Route, something Kallie had dreamt about for many years. They hungered for a change of pace from Gauteng. While he had a passion for farming, the search for the right farm became an arduous journey. Eventually, they found a favourable stretch of land in the little town of Calitzdorp and so became the new owners of a farm called Du’SwaRoo.
Located in the heart of the Klein Karoo region of the Garden Route, Calitzdorp is known as the port wine destination in South Africa, which is a testament to the town’s warm climate and its friendly people. It is, however, a stark contrast to the Centurion hustle the couple had become accustomed to.
Contrary to what his surname might suggest, Kallie Calitz is not from Calitzdorp, though his grandparents came from there. Instead, Kallie grew up on a farm in the North-West Province, where he attended an agricultural school. After purchasing and arriving at their new farm, he was eager to get his hands dirty. However, to obtain fundamental knowledge about the winemaking process, the ambitious new owners first set about educating themselves. They attended courses and engaged with other winemakers to grow their confidence until they were ready.
“Du’SwaRoo was established in 2007 by the Baileys, but we only built the cellar in September 2017,” explained Kallie. This not only makes Du’SwaRoo the smallest boutique winery on the Klein Karoo wine route, but also a relatively new one. “Along with the help and assistance of the previous owner, Tony Bailey, we started making wine.”
With the climate and terroir primed for fuller-bodied red grape cultivars such as Shiraz, Touriga Nacional, and Tinta Barocca, Du’SwaRoo can produce limited quantities of these wines from its own vineyards. They also source other cultivars from within the Klein Karoo region to supplement their yields and their wine offerings.
“We make a reasonable variety of wines using our own grapes and those I purchase from farmers in the area. I planted some new vines in 2021, with the hopes to expand on our selection. We make small batches of each variety, between 250 and 800 bottles, but the previous year only showed me that I must increase the volume of wine we bottle.”
All the wines produced from their Portuguese cultivars are aromatic on the nose and flavourful in taste. Their Kaalvoet range, a proud red wine blend, will sit comfortably at the dinner table, regardless of what food is placed next to it. Says Kallie, “Our focus is to produce wines that are young, fresh, and fruity in taste, which can be enjoyed by young and old. That said, our Verdelho, a single cultivar white wine with character, has become a firm favourite with visitors.”
Besides an array of Portuguese vines, the farm boasts 900 olive trees, yielding a steady supply of table olives and olive oils. Pat also launched a range of deli products, which are available for purchase. Visitors can expect to find some of the best pickled atchars, jams, jellies, marinated mushrooms, harissa pastes, even Mediterranean tomatoes and other seasonal products delivered fresh from their gardens.
“As a boutique wine farm, our cellar production has been growing at a steady pace. We are looking forward to embracing whatever the future will bring our way. Right now, we only want our wines to be enjoyed by people throughout the country.”
For more information about their selection of wines, visit their website at www.duswaroo.co.za or email them at pat@duswaroo.co.za
This article first appeared in South Magazine
