Winemaker at Avontuur comments on Week 1 of the Harvest
Thursday, 14 February, 2013
Cobie van Oort
Avontuur winemaker Jan van Rooyen muses on the first week of the 2013 harvest…. And his other great love, CLASSICAL MUSIC!
“It is that AWESOME time of the year again...?!
After the Proteas "KLAPPED" the Kiwis in cricket and took the Pakis to the line in the first test it is with some joy and sadness that we said "Well done !!" to Bafana after their quarterfinal exit in AFCON 2013.
Now that we have come through the first month of 2013 safely, after celebrating a truly awesome perfomance for the Avontuur Thoroughbred Stud Farm at the Cape Yearling sale, the first wine grapes of the thirteenth year in the 2nd millenium is upon us, needless to say, with "great expectations"...
During this first week of harvest we "klapped" 5 of the ten blocks of white grapes at Avontuur - hows that ? Well, it is not out !! No TV umpire needed - 5 down and 5 to go...
This week saw the Chardonnay from E5 and C5 come in first (Monday 4/2/13), only just ahead of the... Pinot Noir from E2 (all for our stunning Vintners Blend), yes, what a joyous start to harvest 20-thirteen !!
The next day our first SBL landed safely in the cellar from block D5, and on Thursday 7/2/13 followed more SBL from C3 AND the Chenin Blanc from B3 !! The latter will be used for blending etc. In the cellar I have help from "Goggie" Bradley Hendricks and Wynand Erasmus, who still needs a nick-name... any ideas ?
As I sit here (Sunday 10 Feb 13) the first fermenting tank of Chardonnay is filling the air with the beautiful passion fruit aromas so typical of this time...awesome - wish I could capture it and make some Chardonnay perfume to sell with every bottle...!!
Tomorrow, more bottling of 2012 Vintner’s Blend and barrelling of red wine to make space for the new harvest - a lot of exciting stuff...
Just another thought in passing:
About 6 minutes and 5 seconds into the 11 min 34 sec of my recording of the Anton Rubenstein (1829 - 1894) Piano Concerto #2, in F maj, Op 35, during the Adagio non Troppo movement, I become so totally overwhelmed & humbled by the BEAUTY of the sound of THIS music...that I imagine just what it would feel like to fall like a leaf from a tree, no restraints, no worries, just filled with FAITH that life on Earth is so beautiful and wherever you settle down, you WILL be fine...
But, of course, you should first listen through a very good recording of Piano Concerto #1 in E minor, Op 25 as well as the #2 first to reach this AWESOME moment in time & life & music,
AND in winemaking, of course...! “