AVONTUUR CAB FRANC HIGHLY RATED IN WINE MAGAZINE
18 April 2010
 Avontuur winemaker Natalie Nel |
A 4 star rating in the May edition of Wine magazine for Avontuur’s 2008 Cabernet Franc came as a pleasant surprise to wine maker Natalie Nel and the team at this winery in the Helderberg. “I knew from the beginning that this would be a lovely wine,”said Natalie on Friday. “This is the reason for the single varietal bottling as we usually blend the Cab Franc into our Bordeaux-styled blends and the premiere range, Baccarat. But this one cried out for individual attention and I am therefore pleased that it’s doing well,” she said. According the Wine magazine’s tasting panel the wine is “… big and bold, but |
 Avontuur Estate Cabernet Franc 2008 |
| balanced. Lots of ripe fruit, spicy tannins and lively acidity.” At only R88 from the cellar door and exclusively available from the Estate, this wine is also one of the better priced wines in the line-up. Visit Avontuur’s tasting room daily from 09h00-17h00 to taste and buy. |
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AVONTUUR A HIT AT CORKSCREW WINE CLUB
22 March 2010
| The Avontuur team had a wonderful time last week in Muizenberg and Hout Bay, when more than 100 wine lovers turned up to taste our wines. Organised by Ken Joseph of the Corkscrew Wine Club, who’s been hosting these groups for years, the crowd knew their wines and had lots of comments and feedback for the visitors from the Boland. Wednesday night at Deli Delish in Hout Bay was very popular and Pieter, Cobie and Natalie were kept busy pouring and answering questions. On Thursday evening at Fogey’s in Muizenberg, Schalk popped in to assist and an even bigger crowd squeezed into the venue to taste and buy! With our wines already on sale at selected outlets and restaurants in these areas, the exposure was important, and we hope to see some familiar faces visiting us at the Estate soon! |
 Terry Pidgeon and Ryan Burrows were serious about the whole affair! |
 Erica Griffiths, Hugo Quixtner and Colleen Flower-Duncan are regular visitors. |
 Natalie, Ken and Cobie at Deli Delish in Hout Bay. |
VALENTINE’S “MONTH” CELEBRATED AT AVONTUUR ESTATE
February is usually dominated by the colour Red, hearts and cupids everywhere, choccies and red roses for lucky lovers – and all of it to celebrate Valentine’s Day. At Avontuur, we’ve decided to play along, but make the whole month an Avontuur LOVE-FEST!Western Cape Yearling Sale
We start off with the first of the Yearling sales taking place at Sandringham Farm near Stellenbosch on Sunday, 7 February. Pippa and her team have a good selection of 5 yearlings (4 Fillies and 1 Colt) to tease potential buyers into parting with their hard-earned cash!
Click on Sales 2010 to find out more about the yearlings for the sale and lose your heart on one of these beauties.
New Wine ReleasedEasing into the month, we’re very proud to offer our newly released single varietal Avontuur Cabernet Franc for sale in our tasting room only! The world is divided between those who love Cab Franc, and those who’ve never tasted it! Do yourself a favour and pop in for a taste sensation.
Eating out for Valentine’s
Valentine’s weekend itself promises to be a fun time, with our romantic Valentine’s dinner for two (booked out already) on Saturday night, 13 Feb, but you can still enjoy a scrumptious Avontuur breakfast with bubbly on the actual day itself. Bookings are essential at 021 855-4296 or openhand@polka.co.za.
Tasting Room Special
In the tasting room, for Valentine’s weekend only, we’re offering our premiere beautifully wooded Chardonnay Reserve, Luna de Miel 2008 for only R70 per bottle if you buy a case of 6! Only from the tasting room and whilst stock lasts. (Normal price: R95 per bottle) Valid: Friday, 12 Feb-Sun, 14 Feb. This is one of the wines named after our race horses and with the name meaning “Honeymoon” in Spanish after our imported founder mare, we thought it appropriate to highlight this wine in the month for lovers!
There are so many reasons to visit Avontuur this month – we’re looking forward to welcoming you!
AVONTUUR VISIT TO HONG KONG A GREAT SUCCESS!
| Avontuur’s GM, Pippa Mickleburgh returned earlier this week from a whirlwind visit to Hong Kong with many new contacts made and much support drummed up for Avontuur’s award-winning wines in that very sophisticated market. “I was looked after very well and spent quite a lot of time with our importers, Fine Vintages, getting to know clients and visiting wine outlets, both on-con and off-con,” she says. “The market is definitely there to exploit and with our connections in the world of racing and breeding, Avontuur wines are differentiated from many of the other imported brands on the shelves and wine lists.” |
 SA jockey, Greg Cheyne, who is now riding in Hong Kong, Richard Paine from Avontuur's Distributors in Hong Kong, Fine Vintages, Pippa Mickleburgh, GM of Avontuur Estate; Mark Richards, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Racing Club who held the function with Avontuur's wines and Paul Dixon, F & B manager of the Hong Kong Jockey Club |
One of the highlights of the period spent in Hong Kong was a very glamorous dinner and wine tasting on Friday, 22 January at the Hong Kong Racing Club where many of the younger set, especially those who are enthusiastic supporters of horse racing, attended. “Also in a different league from our racing here in South Africa, was the actual race day which I attended on Sunday. It’s all very professional, hugely lucrative and very slick – but one does miss the more personalized approach which you find in South Africa,” she says.
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| Greg Cheyne and Pippa Mickleburgh with a bevy of beauties enjoying themselves at the function on Friday, 22 January. |
Pippa Mickleburgh, Greg Cheyne and Paul Dixon with some of the "party animals" at the function where guests were given some of Avontuur's VAR wine as a gift to enjoy at home |
Pippa barely has time to recover from her trip with the Cape Town Sale upon us and a list of visitors waiting for her to show off this year’s yearlings to potential buyers. “It was a tiring, but successful trip and I look forward to welcoming many of the people I met in Hong Kong to South Africa and Avontuur in particular over the next few months – and hope we sell lots of wine in the near future,” she says.
2010 KICKS OFF AT AVONTUUR
January started off with a bang at Avontuur Estate with visitor numbers up over the December period and the last of the local holiday makers visiting the tasting room, restaurant and winery to stock up for the year ahead before hitting the long road home! The exciting World Cup period with lots of visitors coming up in June and many more successes for VAR’s offspring on race courses country-wide, ensures a bumper year!
On the stud side, Pippa and her team are slowly settling down after a very busy birth season and VAR’s full book, which kept them busy till mid-December!
We are looking forward to the yearling sales in 2010 with the Cape Town sale at Sandringham Farm from 5th to 7th February coming up soon. Pippa has listed 5 yearlings for that one with 20 stunning yearlings going up to the National Yearling sale in Johannesburg from 23-25 April. “We have a great draft this year with offspring from many of SA’s most successful stallions on offer,” she says. “There is truly something for everyone!”
For more info on the yearlings allocated to each Sale, click on “Sales 2010” on the website.
Wine launches planned early in the new year include the 2008 Cabernet Franc and Estate Shiraz, both of which have been wowing the critics who had a preview of the wines late last year.
By March we are hoping to release the long-awaited 2008 Above Royalty Noble Late Harvest, which will complete the range of 6 wines in the premiere range, available at the winery and from selected stores country-wide. The gorgeous black and gold gift box, specially created for the premiere range will then come into its own and will guarantee satisfaction from anyone lucky enough to receive one!
As always our monthly newsletter carries updates on our activities and specials for the year. So, sign up now and ensure you are kept in the loop with all our news as we are preparing for a busy, productive and successful 2010!
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT JENNI PRINGLE AT (021) 855-3450
