Friday, 22 November, 2013
Asara Wine Estate and Hotel
"The vineyard that
supplied the grapes for this wine is the oldest on the farm (20 years old), and
with its age it developed, what I call 'vineyard genetic memory' - developing a
genetic memory of the climate and adapting to it, resulting in high quality
fruits with a lot of potential. This is our first single
vineyard release, I have always wanted to bottle this block on its own, but the
time, up until now, was never right. After walking through the Sauvignon Blanc
block this year (Jan 2013), tasting the fruit from this vine, I was blown away
with its flavour profile and was immediately confident that the wine from these
grapes are sure to please most devoted wine enthusiasts," says winemaker
Francois Joubert.
The grapes for this wine
were chosen from vineyards located in the Polkadraai Hills - whose primary
terroir influence is granite based soils and undulating hills. The grapes were harvested
in the cool early morning and transported in small lugs to ensure a quick and
orderly transfer to the cellar and to maintain its best possible condition. After
cooling overnight, the grapes were moved to the press where they were sorted
and gently whole-bunch pressed. Only the free-running juice was used. The wine
was racked after two days of cold settling and thereafter the clear juice was
transferred into stainless steel tanks for high pressure fermentation, in order
to retain the flavour in the grapes. The wine was left on the lees for a total
of 3 months, which rounded off the flavour profile with nuttiness and cream
characters.
This wine perfectly
displays the terrain of Asara's Sauvignon vineyards. Bursting with aromas of zesty
bell pepper, asparagus and green apple, this lively Sauvignon Blanc also shows
layers of ripe tropical fruits. On the palate, notes of young gooseberries and
kiwi-fruit flavors.
The
2013 Sauvignon Blanc is
best enjoyed this summer. Its fine fruit flavour is balanced by natural
acidity, resulting in a crisp white wine that complements fresh summer salads
and seafood.
The 2013 Vineyard Collection Sauvignon Blanc also took double gold at the recent Vitis Vinifera Awards 2013.