Johnathan's Blog | Organic | Biodynamic

Welcome to the blog of Johnathan Grieve. I am the proprietor of Avondale wine estate, and pioneer of the BioLOGIC^® approach to sustainable viticulture. The transformation of Avondale from over-used and abused land into a thriving, robust vineyard ecosystem has been a personal learning journey of more than a decade long. This blog is where I share some of what I have learnt about promoting life on our farm and the wonderful impact this has had on our handcrafted premium quality wines.

Luna Taste Test – Day 2

Having tasted six biodynamically made Avondale wines on Monday, and found them generally forthcoming and fruity, the Luna Taste Test panel revisited the same wines yesterday – which corresponded with a different cycle of the lunar calendar – and were amazed to find significant differences.

Luna Taste Test – Day 1

At the first tasting yesterday, panel members were unaware of the “day” but the obvious fruitiness of the wines caused them to guess it was a fruit day. Some wanted to see more restraint and minerality, i.e. more “Old World” character and less overt fruitiness, across the line-up, and one or two felt the alcohol was evident on some of the wines.

Biodiversity in Action – The Cape Sugarbird

Biodiversity, the variety of life in an ecosystem, is a tangible measure of the health and balance of a particular habitat. At Avondale, we have been compiling a bird list over the years to chart the re-emergence of species on the farm as we have worked to restore soils and cleanse water naturally, clear invasive aliens and revive the native vegetation.

Fruit vs. Root – Luna Taste Test

Avondale is excited to launch an intriguing experiment in conjunction with Platter’s South African Wine Guide to put the biodynamic lunar tasting calendar to test. The moon, which governs many aspects of biodynamic farming, is believed to play a role in how a wine will be experienced on certain days.

Biodiversity in Action – Bird-Watching at Avondale

Sea Solids as Nutrition in the Vineyards

As part of the BioLOGIC® approach we make use of sea solids throughout the seasons to ensure balanced nutrition for our vines. The use of mineral-rich sea solids in agriculture originated from the pioneering work of Dr Maynard Murray, who was a medical doctor researching the importance of minerals, especially trace elements, to plants and animals.

Camera! Lights! Avondale’s Biodiversity in Action!

My father’s project to document the Avondale’s wildlife using a motion-sensitive Reconyx Hyperfire camera in on-going, and always brings us much delight. Last month, he had the camera discreetly set up on a site on the mountain slope for a couple of weeks. I just love these images he captured…

Harvest and the BioLOGIC Approach

The farmer’s role is to foster and take care of the diverse community of life that serves the vine optimally and effortlessly in a healthy, balanced relationship.

The Lively Energy of Nature’s Water

One of the essential qualities of natural water is that it flows; and it flows in a myriad of enlivening forms – unique swirls, spirals and whirlpools, eddies and vortices. Water moves constantly through chaos and balance, in harmony with the duality of the world.

Avondale Estate – where terra est vita [earth is life]

When you stand in a Shiraz vineyard on the slopes of the Klein Drakenstein with a clear view of Table Mountain, on a God-given day, with a black eagle circling overhead, Johnathan Grieve next to you with a handful of soil that looks like Christmas pudding, writhing with earthworms, you get a sense of the seriousness and passion with which he farms the family Estate.

Johnathan Grieve

As family man… Avondale is a family farm where we appreciate that the health and balance of our living system is inextricably linked to well-being of our families. As a father of two and a husband, as son and brother, my inspiration to achieve a robust, balanced vineyard ecosystem is to ensure that Avondale will support the lives of our future generations.

As artist… A passion for jazz and a love for all forms of art, especially woodwork and sculpture led me into four years of fine art studies – an eclectic education for a budding a farmer, for sure! However, I have found that in so many ways, the patterns, interconnections and openness of the artistic worldview have influenced my understanding of how living systems work.

As farmer… My interest in farming started early when I was a boy growing up on a small-holding outside of Durbanville. I planted and tended my own vegetables which I sold to family and friends. I hardly imagined at that time though that I would one day become a farmer. However, the theme of a healthy balanced life was embedded in our family’s outlook.

Luna Taste Test – Day 2

Luna Taste Test – Day 1

Biodiversity in Action – The Cape Sugarbird

Fruit vs. Root – Luna Taste Test

Biodiversity in Action – Bird-Watching at Avondale

Sea Solids as Nutrition in the Vineyards

Camera! Lights! Avondale’s Biodiversity in Action!

Harvest and the BioLOGIC Approach

The Lively Energy of Nature’s Water

Avondale Estate – where terra est vita [earth is life]

Johnathan Grieve

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