Cover crops Le Chant
With the Cape Winelands' winter rains having finally arrived in full force, the vineyards at Le Chant Wines in the Polkadraai region of Stellenbosch are resplendent with dense cover crops between the 80ha of vines, a vital aspect of Le Chant's programme of regenerative agriculture.
"On Le Chant we have a rather unique approach to cover crops, preferring to plant a single varietal cover crop as opposed to the more popular methods of using a diversity of different plants," says Petri Venter, winemaker of Le Chant.
Petri says that on Le Chant they deem it important not to plant a mix of cover crops, instead sticking to one variety each year. "When you plant a mix of cover crops in one year, one of the varieties always suffers by being suppressed by the others, thus lessening the efficacy," he says. "Like our approach to winemaking, in the farming of Le Chant we believe in focus, hence the programme of single cover crops.
"What's more, we alternate this cover crop every year. This year, for example, we exclusively planted black oat. Last year it was only triticale and the year before that Le Chant saw lupines being used. We find this three-year cycle of using one different cover crop each season allows for diverse contributions to soil-health every different year, as all three these covers have their own benefits and ways of interacting with the vines, which leads to greater complexity in terms of soil structure."
Black oat is known for its vigorous root systems which helps bind the soils as well as suppressing weeds. "The weathermen are predicting some heavy bouts of rain this year, and black oat is the ideal cover crop to keep the vineyard soils bound so as to prevent erosion," says Petri.
Cover crops also play a vital role in creating competition for the root systems of the vines to ensure the vines do not grow too vigorously, resulting in diluted flavour profiles in the grapes.
"And once the expired cover crops are rolled in summer, nitrogen is returned to the soil and a lovely layer of mulch develops, allowing for a rich organic layer with an own ecosystem which includes insects that can help control vineyard pests. Mulch can help break disease cycles by reducing the prevalence of certain soil-borne pathogens," he says. "This all plays a vital role in Le Chant's ethos of regenerative farming and in the end-result which is seen in our wines."
The vineyard plantings on Le Chant, a property owned by the French company Oddo Vins et Domaines, incorporates Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Sangiovese used for the blende Le Chant Rouge, while Chenin Blanc finds its way into Le Chant Blanc.
