Wines

Getting lost in Hermitage or its neighbour – this is what Avondale winemaker Corné Marais would do if he could fly anywhere anytime.

An avid shiraz junkie, Corné, has been making wine and in particular shiraz wines at Avondale since 2004, after finishing his studies at Elsenburg Agricultural College, a gap year and stints at other cellars in South Africa and overseas.

He matriculated at Oudsthoorn High School in 1997 and completed his three year formal training with a Diploma in Cellar Technology in 2002. He swopped an arid Klein Karoo and juicy Elsenburg for the confederated wetlands of Richmond, Virginia, USA, where he ran the James River Cellars for a season as part of an exchange scholarship.
Marais believes in experimenting, as ‘innovation and growth is only possibly if you seek change by dabbling in alternatives – so long as you know and calculate the risks, of course’.  His desire for knowledge has driven him to making ‘traditional wines’ successfully over the last three years. This include, higher fermentation temperatures, post fermentation hot soaking, and whole bunch fermentations on Shiraz, Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Sauvignon blanc and Semillon.

Marais has put his heart on minimalist wines. It is a dream which is possible at Avondale, where organic and Bio-LOGIC grapes allows for the making of natural, low sulphur wines, and which express the lay of the land straight from a balanced soil.

So, if he did manage to get lost in France, where would Corné find himself again? Alain Graillot – in Crozes Hermitage - is where his journey would take him, for sure.

During the making of Avondale wines, the following points of difference to the wines of the New World should be noted:

• Wild yeast fermentation is allowed in most instances for all wines.
• All wines are low in sulphur – less than half the norm.
• No enzymes or any other regulators, catalyzing agents, or softeners are used to prepare our wines.
• No synthetic cleaning materials are used in the cellar.
• White wines are fermented between 16 and 18 º Celsius, warmer than most other New World or South African wineries – hence our wines take longer to develop, yet can age for longer (even our whites).
• Mostly whole-bunch pressings are used to make white and some reds, to retain the natural acid from the grape skins and to negate acidification.
• Large components of our white wines are fermented and aged in used 600 liter French oak vats.
• Blocks are harvested and vinified separately
• All the process in the cellar are temperature controlled
• All batches are aged separately and then blended back to create the best wine possible.
• Thus any problems/positives we can track and improve on
• All wines are made to Organic Standards, one system fits all

Avondale wines have less than half the norm of CO² or sulfate levels. This is the way we prefer to make our wines, and it is possible by cellaring our balanced grapes, and fermenting only healthy grapes in a clean cellar.

Since 2001, Avondale has garnered heaps of prestigious awards and medals.  However, since 2004, we have not entered any South African or International competitions. As we strive to make elegant and refined wines, these are mostly not suitable as show wines.

When Corné was asked about our Sauvignon Blanc, this was his answers:

1.  What is your (or the winemaker's) favourite memory with Avondale sauvignon blanc?

Avondale's winemaker, Corné Marais, is a keen angler and for him there is nothing better than standing with a line in the icy Atlantic Ocean and a chilled glass of Avondale Sauvignon Blanc in his hand. Well, of course, the best is when you have a big one taking the bait, but the important thing is not to spill your Sauvignon Blanc while you are reeling it in!

2.  What is your (or the winemaker's) favourite summer meal with the Avondale wines sauvignon blanc?

We have an indigenous fish in South Africa called "geelbek" (directly translated "yellow mouth" but also called Cape salmon).  It's a fantastic fish for a traditional "braai" (barbeque) over an open fire right there on the beach immediately after catching it.  Avondale Sauvignon Blanc is a natural choice with seafood, especially salmon and halibut.

3.  What differentiates Avondale wines from other wines?

At Avondale we are going back to nature with our Bio-LOGIC farming practices.  In growing our grapes and making our wines we do everything in the most environmentally friendly way and we believe that this approach leads to wines of elegance and balance that Mother Earth would approve of.