In the winery, we are bottling and labelling new vintages every week, and our tasting room and restaurant is kept busy with exciting happenings, all of which we’d love to share with you.
STUD NEWS
Legal Eagle is favourite for the July
The new Vodacom Durban July favourite, Avontuur-bred Legal Eagle (Grey’s Inn x Young Sensation) will almost certainly be the best weighted horse on paper that the Vodacom Durban July has seen since merit ratings were introduced to South Africa in 1999, as the handicappers have raised him eight points to 120 for his 4,3 length romp in the Gr 3 Jubilee Handicap over 1800m on Sunday, and on form he looks to be worth every one of those points.
His July weight will remain unaltered on 54kg, because the weights were published in the week before the Jubilee Handicap. This means he will be 4kg better off than he should be in a true handicap. He will be 3kg better off than he would be if the weights had been set after the Jubilee, because the maximum weight for a three-year-old in the July is 57kg.
We are excited to be part of the biggest race in South Africa, and wish the owners, jockey and trainer heaps of luck in this thrilling event.
WINERY NEWS
New wines on the 'waiting list'
We’re hoping to release the new Luna de Miel Chardonnay Reserve 2014 this month, which was tasted and rated at 90+/100 recently by Master of Wine Dave March, who commented; “Already there is a tinge of pale gold on such a young wine, and the nose confirms use of new oak but through that comes bright, perfumed citrus fruit which include lemon and grapefruit which pierce through the creamy woody notes. A touch of Viognier no doubt helps that hint of the exotic.
The palate is full and mouth-filling, alcohol is indiscernible and at first there is oak and cream but that clears and again, ripe and clean citrus notes linger. Lots of melon, ripe peach and tangy pear show at the finish, suggesting that the wine will mature nicely as the oak settles, bringing everything into balance and offering a serious, full-on wine with quality fruit and some impact.
Not too bold, though, there is a precision in the fruit that points to a wine of finesse rather than brute force. A touch more fine and controlled than 2013 just needing more time.” The wine is available from the tasting room at R125 per bottle.
Other new releases coming up include the Pinotage 2013 and the Cabernet Franc 2011.
Cab Franc Carnival brings niche varietal to light
The inaugural Cabernet Franc Carnival held at Avontuur Estate on Saturday, 20 June was a classy event with lovers of this varietal tasting some of the best of South Africa, from the 13 participating wineries. Avontuur was proud to present this prestigious event and hope to continue building on the success. Three lucky “voters” won boxes of wine on the day. They are Suzy Digby-Smith and runners-up Francois Breed and Gabriel Du Toit.
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