Cattle and cover crops power vineyard regenerative study

The ReGenWine study, led by Stellenbosch University and funded by South Africa Wine, examines how regenerative farming, including the use of cattle, can help wine farmers cope with the growing challenges of climate change, rising costs, and sustainability demands.

The study runs over three years, with Hartenberg Wine Estate near Stellenbosch as the main trial site.

According to Gerard Martin, executive manager for research, development and innovation at South Africa Wine, there is a need for data-driven decision-making in the wine industry. “If we want to build a wine industry that’s fit for the future, we have to rethink how we farm – and we need solid data to back it up,” he says.

That’s why they have partnered with Stellenbosch University on this project. “Regenerative farming shows promise, but we want to understand exactly how it works in a real vineyard setting, and what it could mean for South African wine,” Martin said.

Professor Melané Vivier, who leads the project, explains that their mission is to find out if working more closely with nature can help farmers in practical, measurable ways.

Vivier is also the director of the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute at Stellenbosch University.