Some of the finest South African wines are thanks to Avondale Winery. For over 300 years, the vineyards here have produced superb grapes. "Soil is life" is the motto Avondale Winery adheres to. The soil is the foundation upon which the grapes develop, and according to the winemakers, this is something you must adhere to. Therefore, natural ecosystems are utilized and respected. Avondale operates entirely biodynamically, which has a beneficial effect on the microclimate in the vineyard. Everything revolves around Mother Nature. The grapes benefit from the warm weather, but the water flowing down from the mountain waterfalls naturally cools them. This allows the grapes to ripen optimally and develop their unique characteristics.
Its name comes from an environmentally friendly method of killing pests. The owner of Paarl winery, Johnathan Grieve, is a strong advocate of organic viticulture. In spring, there are always problems with snails in the vineyards. Johnathan Grieve has sworn off pesticides because they kill not only the snails but also the microorganisms in the soil. Instead, a flock of ducks waddles through the vines, happily eating the snails.
The grapes are all hand-harvested. They are then destemmed and crushed in the winery, followed by fermentation in sealed stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation and aging took place in small, used French oak barrels. The wine was aged for 12-14 months in 225-liter barrels. The result is a red wine with aromas of blackcurrant, licorice, and hints of chocolate and coffee. It has an explosion of fruit on the palate and elegant tannins. It finishes with a silky smooth finish.
