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.

Johnathan Grieve

Extraordinary Festive Media Launch

Extraordinary Festive Media Launch

Wednesday, 9 Nov 2011 | ,

We held the Media Launch of our Extraordinary Festive Food Pairing Experience yesterday at the Chef’s Warehouse in Cape Town. Enlisting the help of accomplished (not to mention gorgeous!) chef extraordinaire Sonia Cabano, we paired each of our six wines with an exquisite culinary delight, carefully crafted to excite the senses.

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Cover Crops in the Circle of Life

Cover Crops in the Circle of Life

Monday, 31 Oct 2011 | ,

As we move into Summer, the cover crops that have been so lush throughout the cold months are coming to the end of their cycle. We are busy either mowing or rolling them flat to make a rich mulch in the vineyards, and in their dying these plants go on to make their contribution to the ecosystem.

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Biodiversity – Natural Flora in the Vineyard Ecosystem

Biodiversity – Natural Flora in the Vineyard Ecosystem

Monday, 31 Oct 2011 | ,

It is that time of year, when the natural flora on the Avondale farm is blooming in all its diverse glory. The Western Cape is home to the smallest, yet most diverse of the world’s six Floral Kingdoms. The unique fynbos biome, as it is also known, is the only Floral Kingdom that exists on one continent alone, and within the borders of one country. It also happens to fall into South Africa’s premium wine-growing region.

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Tuning into the Energy of Place with a Field Broadcaster

Tuning into the Energy of Place with a Field Broadcaster

Thursday, 29 Sep 2011 | , ,

Field Broadcasters are really about transmitting the energy patterns of the preparations and other remedies you might want to broadcast. It’s about getting patterned energy’s working with us. The field broadcaster enables us to work easily and constantly with the cosmic influences, and so contribute to the flourishing of life at Avondale at the subtle energy level.

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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.

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