Avondale Wine

Avondale Wine

Situated in the Paarl Valley, 60 kilometres north east of Cape Town, this 160 hectare estate has been cultivated for more than 300 years with records showing that the farm was one of the first in the region to be dedicated to producing wine grapes. Purchased by the Grieve family in 1997, their youngest son, Johnathan has overseen the property since the outset. Convinced by the importance of environmental harmony, he developed a motto ‘Terra est Vita’ or ‘Soil is Life’ and set about introducing organic and biodynamic practices. 70 hectares of the estate are planted with vines across 13 different soil types, ranging from loam to decomposed granite and sandstone. Varieties are matched to soil type and planted in one hectare blocks with each plot being vinified separately. The winery operates by gravity and no additives are used including less than half the normal doses of sulphites. 

Paarl
South Africa

Extraordinary Wine approved by Mother Nature

Terra Est Vita meaning ‘Soil is Life’ encapsulates our view of Avondale Estate as a dynamic living system where soil, water and energy; plants, animals and people;even our buildings, are part of a complex web of relationships and networks, interconnected and interdependent.

Premium Quality Wines–commitment  to promoting life does not only lead to Mother Nature’s approval of our healthy, balanced vineyard ecosystem; it also ensures the premium quality of Avondale’s unique, naturally-made, slow wines. The vigour of their well-tended vines leads to excellent grapes bursting with fresh flavours that are evident in our individually-styled, classic wines, so full of life and character.

Certified Organic – Avondale is certified organic and they practice bio-dynamic agriculture; and they go beyond both these beneficial systems of natural farming by also using the best 21st Century science, technology and knowledge to enhance sustainability.

Viticulture

We grow our vines in one-hectare blocks where cultivars are matched to soil types; soils are balanced and re-mineralised according the particular block of vines’ specific nutritional needs; and blocks are irrigated separately based on their requirements. The focus of all this careful individual attention is on quality not quantity. We never pressurise our vines nor employ stressful practices to boost the vineyards’ outputs. Each hectare block yields between four and eight tonnes of balanced, healthy grapes providing us with the ideal fruits to make premium quality, extraordinary wines approved by Mother Nature.

Winemaking

Slow wines, naturally made Our state-of-the-art, 500-ton capacity cellar was built three-storeys deep in a dry riverbed. It is a gravity-flow facility that ensures that the grapes are moved with the minimum of mechanical intervention. Our cellar is specially designed to receive and vinify the harvests of each separate block. This enables our wine-maker to fine tune the ageing and blending of our wines in an exceptional way. We have no need to regulate or adjust our wines in any artificial way and so, no enzymes, catalysing agents or softeners are used in the production of Avondale wines. We make use of only natural yeast fermentation and adhere to strict international organic certification standards. Meticulous processing enables us to make wines that are particularly low in sulphur, less than half the norm. We practice slow wine-making that gives our wines the time they need to develop to their fullest potential. This ensures that by the time they reach the wine-lover, they are immediately accessible and delicious, while still bold enough in stamina and character to enjoy a long life in the bottle.

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