The fertile farmland of Robertson Valley has a long-standing history of winemaking spanning several generations. Van Loveren Family Vineyards proudly pioneered the innovative vine-by-post grape trellis system in the region, a testament to their unwavering dedication to elevating the quality of their wines. This decision reveals Van Loveren’s commitment to preimmunize specifically their red wines and dedication to pushing boundaries in the wine-making industry in South Africa. Join us as we tour the trellised vineyards of Van Loveren and explore the vine-by-post method to craft beautiful red wines.
What is vine-by-post?
When employing the vine-by-post grape trellis system, each vine receives its own upright wooden post which is buried in the soil next to it. This post provides all the support the vine needs while growing. This is different from other methods of trellising which rely on wires running between posts to support multiple vines. By the architecture of the vine-by-post trellising, each pole stands guard of its own vine, so the plants receive efficient airflow and proper sun exposure, leading to less disease and grape clusters that ripen uniformly.
Vine-by-post in the Robertson Valley
Van Loveren was the first wine farm in the Robertson Valley to use the vine-by-post grape trellising method. It had shown success in vineyards in other wine growing areas and the Van Loveren Family exercised their love of innovation to break ground and attempt the first vine-by-post technique in its area.
Their first vine-by-post harvest took place in 2023 and the type of varietals that were harvested ranged from Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Pinotage and Cab Sav demonstrated that this method produces superior grapes, ultimately resulting in exceptional wines.
How vine-by-post creates exceptional wine
As this method involves wrapping each vine to its own post, the grapes receive 360 degrees of African sunlight. This leads to the berries having a beautiful intense colour and an increased concentration of flavour. Each grape trellis system is designed to maximise grapevine health and grape quality. This ecosystem means the vines compete minimally for sunlight and nutrients and are given the best possible circumstances in which to thrive.
Vine-by-post grape trellising is incredibly labour-intensive. It requires almost daily attention to make sure the vines are attached correctly. As each new shoot appears, it is trained and tied in position so that the elements do not interfere with its growth. It is a natural progression for this type of individual attention to create an exceptional product. 2023’s harvest has yielded healthy and high-quality grapes, and they eagerly anticipate crafting exquisite wines.
Van Loveren stands as a proud pioneer of the vine-by-post method in the Robertson Valley of South Africa. The fusion of time-honoured tradition and cutting-edge technology is at the core of the Family Vineyard’s ethos, and they are delighted to embrace any new undertaking that guarantees the production of the finest red and white wines their terroir can provide.
