in the vineyard : On the third Thursday of November at the stroke of midnight, the province of Beaujolais in France erupts in a celebration that lasts the better part of a week. The event marks the release of the latest vintage Nouveau; a young red wine made in a most unusual style. Enthusiasts fly in from around the globe to toast to the vintage and sample its expression in the wine.
Beaujolais Nouveau is produced from Gamay Noir, a crisply acidic red grape whose association with Asara dates back 40 years. The Asara Gamay profile is classic Beaujolais and its Nouveau-style production offers the allure of a juicy, mouth-watering wine whose fermentation took place inside each grape. The wine is released on Human Rights Day, and like its French counterpart the supplies rarely last past the first six months of release.
Asara's Nouveau is part of the Specialty range, whose eclectic collection offers wines both out of the ordinary, and true to the quality of an estate whose vinous history dates back to 1691.
A tiny 1.1 hectares supplies the grapes for the wines, enabling micro-management of the vines. The location of the vineyards, at 210m, is the highest point on the farm and the rows are west-facing to restrict the amount of direct sunlight exposure to the grapes. The overriding aim is to produce freshness and elegance; a task ideally suited to the Tukulu soils on which the vines are based. High in moisture and nutrients, Tukulu imparts acidity and minerality, easy growing conditions and constant water supply during warmer periods. Vineyard stress is kept to an absolute minimum, resulting in health and purity of flavour in the grapes.
The vineyard is 14 years of age and yields at an average of 8 tons per hectare.
in the cellar : The grapes are cooled overnight to 5° C, and whole bunches are hand-placed layer by layer into stainless steel tanks. A small amount of grape breakage occurs at the bottom layers, precipitating fermentation with the addition of yeast. The tank fills with CO2 and carbonic maceration – or anaerobic fermentation – takes place within each individual berry.
Fermentation is deemed complete if sampled berries pop when placed under very light pressure. The grapes are lightly pressed in whole bunches, and the juice ferments in tank until stopped to leave a slight edge of sweetness.
An abundance of CO2 is captured in the juice, contributing to freshness. Thus, when consumed cold the wine shows little evidence of grape tannins, and plenty of fresh, zesty fruit.
Style: Beaujelais Nouveau