Having the status of being a Biodiversity and Wine Champion is not easy to achieve, yet the team at Gabriëlskloof have managed to truly set themselves apart through their dedicated approach to creating a sustainable vineyard and olive farm that produces quality yields without impacting the natural environment.

Dean Leppan, Gabriëlskloof’s farm manager and viticulturalist stems from a background in IT, cheese farming and yoga – all of which have come together to build his all-encompassing views of sustainable farming practices. Dean’s approach is holistic, and he is working towards decreasing reliance on chemical inputs, especially insecticides.

Working with realIPM, Dean has seen great benefit in the use of beneficial insects which predate on pests such as mealybug. Mealybug is a well-known vector for leaf roll virus, a costly and highly destructive disease in vineyards. By controlling mealybug infestation, Dean can reduce the probability of the vines contracting the virus. Through the use of predators such as Real CryptoFIX, Real AnaFIX and Real NephiFIX Dean has managed to rid his vineyard almost completely of mealybug. This is critical to support Dean’s aim of growing  and harvesting ‘old vines’ (old vines are 35yrs or older, more established and produce better quality fruit).

In addition, a number of sustainability interventions have been incorporated into his approach. Dean is progressively fitting ‘Kalander bands’ to the vines – preventative bands that are put around the trunk of the vine to stop weevils from climbing the vine and attacking the leaves, green stems and fruit of the plant.

Raptor poles have also been strategically situated around the farm to encourage birds of prey to manage the gerbil populations. And a natural fertiliser made from beef blood is also Dean’s preferred fertilser. Combined with cover crops, mulching and using the wineries waste as compost, all integrated practices have come together to play a role in the ongoing health of the soil and plants. Strong healthy plants are able to fend off pests and diseases, and nutrient filled soils support this process.

In the dry valley of Gabriëlskloof, surrounded by grain farms, Dean and his team have most certainly made incredible strides in farming sustainably, with consideration not only for their environment, but the area at large, producing award winning wines.

realIPM would like to thank Dean Leppan and the team at Gabriëlskloof for taking the time to meet with us and take us around the farm.