A blend of two flavourful varieties, the latest vintage of Avondale’s Camissa arrests the nose with rose petals, scented pelargonium and fresh red fruits of the earth. Hints of Turkish Delight and lemon zest attest to the perfect acidity of this wine; for Camissa may appear sweet but it finishes completely dry.
Camissa is the Khoi San name for Table Mountain, meaning “place of sweet water”. We have called our gorgeous, fresh Blanc de Noir ‘Camissa’ as a reflection of Avondale’s gratitude for the blessing of having pure spring waters flowing to our vines. The image associated with Camissa is a rendition of the fountain sculpture in the middle of the Dolphin Pool at the Castle of Good Hope. In the late 1790’s, Lady Anne Barnard made sketches and descriptions of the original Dolphin Pool. These were used in 1982 to reconstruct the beautiful fountain that once flowed with the sweet waters of Table Mountain.
Camissa is made from 60% Muscat de Frontignan and 40% Mourvedre grapes. The vines are 26 years old, naturally cultivated and certified organic. They have a low yield of 4 tons per hectare of high quality fruit with intense flavours. The grapes were picked at between 22 and 23˚ Balling. The Muscat grapes were de-stemmed and left on the skins in the stainless tank for 3 or 4 days, with a stirring once or twice a day until natural fermentation started. The Mourvedre grapes were pressed as whole bunches, settled and fermented in the stainless steel tank at 18˚ to 20˚ Celsius. The varietals were then co-fermented and kept on the lees for 12 months.
Camissa is available at Avondale Wine Estate at R126 per bottle. Call 021-863 1976 or email wine@avondalewine.co.za to order now.
