Black Oystercatcher Wines is a boutique, family-run estate located on Moddervlei Farm in the cool-climate Elim Wine Ward of the Agulhas Wine Triangle at the southernmost tip of Africa, just minutes from Elim and around 20?km from Bredasdorp. Founded by winemaker Dirk Human, the estate began planting vineyards in 1998 and bottled its first wines in 2003. The brand is named in honor of the rare coastal bird, the Black Oystercatcher, that thrives in the Agulhas environment.
Grapes grow in extreme maritime conditions, cool ocean breezes, low rainfall, and ancient soils of shale, ferricrete and quartzite, creating uniquely small berries with intense flavours and pronounced minerality. Winemaking emphasizes minimal intervention: hand?harvested fruit, gentle handling, native fermentation, and light use of oak, resulting in elegant, cool-climate expressions such as Sauvignon Blanc, Blanc Fumé, White Pearl (Semillon/Sauvignon blend), Cabernet Merlot, Triton Shiraz, Cap Classique Brut Rosé, and a refined Reserve line.
Black Oystercatcher is more than a winery—it’s a destination. Visitors enjoy tastings (standard, tutored, comparative, vertical), wine and chocolate pairings, and food platters featuring charcuterie, local cheese, trout, breads and seasonal produce, all served on a scenic veranda or within a rustic chic venue overlooking the Agulhas Plain and Nuwejaars wetlands.
