Theuniskraal, one of Tulbagh’s best-known wine farms and one of South Africa’s very first white-wine estates; has a history as interesting, and as old, as the village itself. Today, visitors are welcomed to a farm which has retained its vintage charm, complete with a free-ranging flock of over 200 determined ducks.
Natural farming methods at Theuniskraal combine seamlessly with high technology to bring out the best in each vintage; a sophisticated drip irrigation system, with probes that measure soil moisture, supplement natural rainfall during the dry and warmer summer months; three weather stations are used to forecast possible outbreaks of disease in the vineyards and to ensure that spraying is carried out only when needed; fertilisation is computer-controlled and the relentless duck patrol, rather than pesticides, takes care of the snails.
The ducks’ eggs can be seen, nestled amongst the hedgerows and in the flowerbeds and these are carefully gathered and incubated in a cleverly modified refrigerator, complete with tilting egg boxes to emulate the turning of the eggs by the mother duck. The mechanical skills of brothers Flippie and Wagner Jordaan in designing and successfully producing an incubator from a discarded fridge, is testament to their enthusiasm and commitment – essential ingredients that are part and parcel of managing a successful wine estate. Once hatched, the ducklings are kept safely in a shed and taught how to seek out food and drink (“they only need to be shown once, they are very clever little ducklings!”), until they are old enough to join the duck patrol. They are then released from their pen each morning and quickly learn to follow the flock and waddle into the vineyards, or hitch a lift on the farm tractor and trailer that takes them to the more distant vineyards where they forage and consume the snail population with gusto. Each evening they head for home and safety – a perfectly symbiotic arrangement!
Andries (owner / wine maker)said the ducks had proved to be a great asset and resulted in a significant saving on the cost of pesticides and reduced the need for the application of chemicals. “And of course everyone loves to see our flock of healthy ducks waddling happily in the farmyard and vineyards.”
Theuniskraal has 140 ha under vine, planted to ten varietals. All vineyards are trellised and receive supplementary drip irrigation owing to the very rocky, sandy-loam soils found on the farm. The most significant varietals are Cape Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Moscato, Sémillon, Gewürtztraminer, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Without good grapes there can be no fine wine. The grapes, harvested in the cool of the morning are ripe, crisp and flavour-filled when they reach the cellar. The care and attention paid to environmentally friendly farming practises, gentle handling and minimum manipulation preserves that flavour through all stages of wine-making – with a little help from the friendly duck patrol.
