Wineries and breweries across South Africa’s Western Cape are infusing products with rooibos wood, a plant that alters flavors, but also prolongs shelf life. According to CCTV Africa, instead of fermenting the wine in oak barrels, the new technique calls for boiling the indigenous wood in a copper fermentation tank. Using rooibos wood, officials say in the report, also boosts business in the aspect of offering a natural product and process, void of sulfur.

“The properties of rooibos provides to our product — the shelf life has been extended to close to two years, which is amazing,” Tamsin Mullins, Windemere Cider managing director told CCTV Africa. “Your aromas….everything is enhanced. Rooibos is such a phenomenal wood and there are so many properties about it that we haven’t discovered yet, but we’re noticing it with our product.”