With the Cape Winelands winter rains finally arriving in full force, the vineyards at Le Chant Wines in the Polkadraai region of Stellenbosch are resplendent with dense cover crops between the 80 hectares of vines. This is a vital aspect of Le Chant’s program of regenerative agriculture.
“At Le Chant, we have a rather unique approach to cover crops, preferring to plant a single varietal cover crop instead of the more popular method of using a diversity of different plants,” says Petri Venter, winemaker at Le Chant. Petri emphasizes the importance of sticking to one variety each year. “When you plant a mix of cover crops in one year, one variety always suffers by being suppressed by the others, thus lessening the efficacy,” he explains. “Like our approach to winemaking, we believe in focus, hence the program of single cover crops.”
Petri Venter, winemaker at Le Chant. Petri
Additionally, Le Chant alternates this cover crop every year. “This year, for example, we exclusively planted black oats. Last year, it was only triticale, and the year before that, we used lupines,” Petri says. “We find this three-year cycle of using one different cover crop each season allows for diverse contributions to soil health every year, as all three covers have their own benefits and ways of interacting with the vines, leading to greater complexity in soil structure.”
Black oat is known for its vigorous root systems, which help bind the soils and suppress weeds. “The weather predictions indicate heavy bouts of rain this year, and black oat is the ideal cover crop to keep the vineyard soils bound and prevent erosion,” Petri adds.
Cover crops also play a vital role in creating competition for the root systems of the vines, ensuring the vines do not grow too vigorously, which could result in diluted flavor 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. This creates a rich organic layer with its own ecosystem, including insects that can help control vineyard pests. Mulch can help break disease cycles by reducing the prevalence of certain soil-borne pathogens,” Petri notes. “This all plays a vital role in Le Chant’s ethos of regenerative farming and is reflected in the quality of our wines.”
The vineyard plantings at Le Chant, a property owned by the French company Oddo Vins et Domaines, include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Sangiovese for the Le Chant Rouge blend, while Chenin Blanc is used for Le Chant Blanc.
