‘Going Green’ is more than just a trend these days, it is a business strategy and a lifestyle choice that can actually save you money while saving the earth all at the same time.

The folks at Villiera believe in this ethos so strongly that they have re-branded themselves to better reflect their values.  While this is a bold move, they are sold on the concept of sustainable business, and you should be too. These are just a few of the things that make Villiera unique and at the forefront of the green revolution.

1.LEAVE AN IMPRESSION.
At Villiera we know our vineyard. Simon Grier knows each m² intimately and Jeff joins him in the harvest to physically decide when to pick. The vineyards are inspected on foot, the grapes are tasted and decisions relating to quality are made. Our vines are hand pruned, the canopies are hand controlled and the grapes are handpicked. This careful, personal attention leaves an impression on the wine.

2.SUSTAINABLE FARMING.
We farm as naturally as possible without compromising the annual harvest. Techniques are employed to limit driving tractors up and down the rows. In the process we limit compaction of the soil and burn less fuel. We avoid spraying insecticide and rely on natural predators to control pests such as mealy bug. We attract birds of prey to scare off flocks of smaller grape eating birds. We capture all our winter runoff water and strictly control the use of it for irrigation purposes in summer. We limit our waste and recycle everything. Social sustainability is also important as can witnessed through our support for the Pebbles project , the Owethu Clinic and our farm Creche.

3.DOING THINGS SLOWLY.
Our family is thorough in evaluating the affectivity of practices employed. We adopt new practices once we are assured of the benefit to our business and our wine. Innovation is important to us but we don’t wildly adopt new methods without proven benefits. It is the old story of the tortoise and the hare.

4.NATURAL ENERGY.
We are powered by the sun. In 2010 we installed the largest , privately owned, roof mounted , solar power generation facility in South Africa. It supplies most of our needs outside of harvest time. Wine is often described as “sunlight in a bottle” and Villiera truly lives up to that.
We also save energy through greater use of natural light, insulation, energy efficient equipment and lighting ,timers on energy guzzlers.

5.THE DUCK AND THE SNAIL.
We ceased using insecticide in 2000.Instead we control pests naturally .Snails are one of our biggest problems and we have a flock of ± 1000 white Peking ducks who feed on snails. They are moved around the vineyard where snails are a problem. The ducks need to be partially fed, to have the strength to seek out snails, but if they are overfed they become lazy and spend all day on a dam.

To find out more about they are revolutionising their brand, visit their site or drop in to taste the difference for yourselves.