Amazing Avondale

Avondale is a farm known for it's strong biodynamic princples & practices - while many believe it's all a bit airy-fairy, I believe it makes some damn good wine!


MCC:

• Armilla 2009: 100% Chardonnay, 10% wooded, 24 months on the lees for 1st ferment, 3 years in bottle. Rye toast, lightly salty, strong Salticrax, salted rye crust.(*)

WHITE:

• Anima Chenin Blanc (2012): Latin for soul, 500l French barrels, mostly older. Honeyed oranges, round nose, soft, subtle, orange pith. (**)
• Cyclus (2011): Latin for cycle, 25% Viognier, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Roussanne, 25% Chenin / Semillon. Oily, lurking Cayenne pepper, honeyed melon sweetness, round, haddock-like sweetness, lime pith

ROSE:

• Camissa (2012): Khoisan name for Table Mountain meaning "place of sweet water", refers to the spring water used on the vines, Blanc de Noir-style, 60% Muscat, 40% Mourvedre. Honey melon, pink flowers, pretty little girls in floaty dresses, slightly spicy, salty palate, lingering finish.

RED:

• Samsara (2007): Tibetan for continuous flow of rebirth & reincarnation, 100% Syrah. Musky, smokers' room, leather & cigar, pink & white pepper, soft & flowy with a pepper bite at the end.
• La Luna (2007): 7 years bottle aged, Cabernet Franc, Merlot & Syrah. Crushed velvet, balsamic tannins, blackness, inky, soft, subtle, liquid liquorice, musty & earthy.

NOTES:

• Only 7 wines produced on the farm, the last of which has just been released exclusively
• Armilla: ties back to biodynamics, if the moon can influence the ocean, it should be able to influence anything water-based (people, plants, etc.)
• 1 of the soil preparations involved stirring compost into water for an hour by hand - 1 minute in one direction (in tune with nature), 1 minute the other way (to create chaos)
• "So you spend an hour stirring shit? I know a few very good shit-stirrers I could send your way!"
• Logo: Armilla sphere - first drawing of the Earth as a part of the universe
• Best to swirl wine clockwise
• Tasting took place on a root day according to the lunar calendar phases (root, leaf, fruit or flower) - the phase of the moon impacts the flavour / aroma of wine, accentuating different elements with each phase.
• "If you can castrate a hamster, a duck can lay eggs on the run"

Swartland Series: Part 2 - Swartland Stories

Craig Hawkins – Testalonga El Bandito & Lammershoek

David Sadie – David & Paardebosch

For our next foray into the world of wine, we moved to the opposite end of the spectrum – wines local to the area made by two of the youngest wine makers in the region. Here, we diverged paths again with the very different approaches of each of these young lads.

• Testalonga El Bandito Skin Contact Chenin Blanc (2014):  42 year old vines, 4 weeks of skin contact. Lime & passion fruit cordial, pineapple beer, fermenting apple juice, charcoal.

• Lammershoek Chenin Blanc (2013): Grass & blossoms, pith, softer, unripe naartjies.

• Testalonga El Bandito King of Grapes (2014): 100% whole bunch Grenache, 2000l wood tanks, 8 days of skin contact. Tart berry jelly, red Wine Gums soaked in alcohol, drunken grandma, slight fine black pepper, powder tannin, lean.

• Lammershoek Celler Foot Mourvedre (2013): Cherry cocktails, white spice, tea bag tannins, strong rooibos, slight bitterness.

• David Aristargos (2013): Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Claret Blanc, Roussanne. Orange blossom, jasmine, lemon soap, softly spiced flowers, Nasturtium spice. (**)

• Paardebosch Chenin Blanc (2014):  9 months in old French oak. Nutmeg & lemon, roundness, grapefruit, spice, warming, strong-willed, baked grapefruit.

• David Elpidias (2012): Shiraz, Carnigan, Grenache, Cinsault, 22 – 24 months age. Spiced gummy berries, tart, powdery, lurking blackness.

• David Grenache (2014): Barrel sample. Clouds of cinnamon, cherry meat, peppered silverside.

Bantering Boys:

• “We pick on acid”
• David is not related to Eben Sadie of Sadie Family Wines