South Africa is home to some of the best wine lands and vineyards in the world producing only the best matured and quality wines. Wooden Vineyard posts have a lot to do with this trend of excellence in the winemaking industry and this article covers some of the reasons why.

What are wooden vineyard posts?

Wooden Vineyard posts or vineyard poles are locally known as wooden poles in the agricultural winemaking industry. They are used in the cultivation and growth of grapes which are in turn used for the production of wine. They form a crucial part of the R&B Group product mix. Wooden poles are traditionally used in the South African agricultural trellising industry to spur on the growth and provide support for grape vines.

How are they treated?

Generally, vineyard posts are treated with Creosote as this is the most cost effective and robust wood treatment commercially available in South Africa. This helps in the prevention of damage due to whether and pests as well as prolongs the life of the wood itself. The R&B Group only treat vineyard posts to the H5 specification and comply strictly to the Hardpole process.

The most sound treatment method for preserving timber to extend the life-time of the wood is still the pressure treatment of wood in a pressure vessel. During this procedure a vacuum is drawn to remove as much air as possible from the timber cells and then pressure is applied to ensure that the preservative is pushed as deep as possible into the cell's lumen.

History

Using wood as a material for vineyard trellises has been traditionally used in the production of wine since the early 1900's and the R&B Group has been producing and supplying them since 1952. Modern times have seen a movement towards the utilisation of other materials such as metal, recycled plastic and reinforced concrete for vineyard trellises. However wood remains the most cost effective and popular material in the Southern regions of Africa.

Advantages of Wooden Vineyard Poles

Cape Town features some of the most beautiful scenic landscapes dotted with vineyards and wooden trellises. There are a multitude of natural advantages breathe history and reason into these wonderful wine landscapes.

• Wood is a biodegradable material making it environmentally friendly by not contributing to any environmental pollution.

• It is also a renewable resource and thus a more sustainable option.

• A short term cost effective solution that lasts for over a dozen years.

• A material that can sustain plants and vines even in high temperatures as oppose to steel which heats up and plastic which can melt.

• Wood has a low carbon footprint.

  Environmentally Speaking Importantly, from an environmental perspective, wood has a low carbon footprint. Carbon dioxide is stored throughout the life of a wood product, ensuring the gas is sequestered from the atmosphere. Forests are thus highly efficient 'carbon sinks' while also being producers of oxygen. Overall the R&B Group is a major supplier of wooden Vineyard posts and ensures only the highest quality in treatment for an extended life span.