An important way of honouring our heritage is to bring back traditional farming practices where viable. And then we combine them with new agricultural technology. We find that with ongoing trial and practice and the application of detailed precision tools, we can measure and manage with greater accuracy. All in the interests of making great wines that are in balance with and a reflection of our terroir.
We call it a progressive, adaptive approach - another way of saying that we try always to farm with, rather than against nature. And it has earned us WWF Conservation Championship status for our “exceptional commitment to the collective conservation of threatened habitat in the Succulent Karoo and Cape Floral Kingdom as well as outstanding dedication to environmentally responsible farming practices.”
A big focus here is regenerative farming with mixed crops, animals and even insects. Building soil health and life and promoting biodiversity makes us more climate resilient and eco-sustainable and allows us to maximise the advantages of our location while minimising our reliance on chemical inputs.
It’s the reason you’ll find prize-winning Indian Runner ducks and Dexter cattle here. They devour pests that might otherwise attack the vines. They also eat weeds, while their waste enriches the life in the soils. Our cover crops, planted between the vineyard rows are also part of our integrated pest management programme. They attract pollinators and other insects that devour vineyard pests. They also help to control soil temperatures and moisture while capturing carbon and biding nitrogen to the soil.
Healthy soils give us healthy vines and to date we just almost 51ha planted mostly (75%) to red varieties. Whatever the variety, ourrecipe is to “follow the grapes”. The grapes themselves dictate how the berries should be vinified.
To see how everything comes together, just taste our wines. They’re restrained, precise and balanced with just a touch of salinity.
