variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 100% Sauvignon Blanc ]
winemaker : Francois Joubert
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 13.0 % vol rs : 1.7 g/l pH : 3.34 ta : 7.2 g/l
type : White style : Dry body : Full taste : Fruity
pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Screwcap
in the vineyard : The Story
The fact that Sauvignon Blanc enjoys noble cultivar status in the revered winegrowing region of Bordeaux hasn’t spared it from claims of a slavish adherence to style, whether crisply acidic and green, or expansive and tropical.
The benefit of vineyard age is undeniable when building a rare complexity into wine. The vineyard that supplies the grapes for Asara’s Sauvignon Blanc is the oldest on the farm at the age of 20 years, and none the worse for the passage of time. This owes in large part to the coolness of altitude and a red acidic soil type on which it is based. The richness and complexity currently found in the grapes owe, in the words of the winemaker, to “genetic memory” dating back over decades. The result is a tropical profile, citrusy and rich that yet is reminiscent of the green fruit qualities of the freshest style.
Asara’s Vineyard range stays true to vineyard of origin by means of minimal cellar handling. The property is located in the Polkadraai, whose primary vineyard influence is granite based soils and undulating hills.
Vineyards
The oldest vineyard on the farm, aged at 20 years, planted at an altitude of 160m. East-facing rows enable direct sun exposure on the bunch zone once a day. The soil type is Oakleaf, structured and well drained.
Vineyard effort is concentrated on the grapes, a natural consequence of age. Canopy micro-management is therefore critical to prevent sun over-exposure on the grapes. The vineyard yields an average of 6 tons per hectare of healthy, flavoursome grapes.
in the cellar : Acute observation of the cold chain preserves fruit freshness at every stage. The grapes are harvested in the cool of early morning into small lugs, for rapid transfer to cellar. After cooling overnight, whole bunches are sorted and gently pressed. Free run juice is kept separate.
The wine is racked after two days of cold settling, and fermentation occurs under pressure in the tanks, retaining flavour in the suspension and grapes. A co-fermentation, using two yeasts of the same strain builds further complexity, while micro nutrient feeding retains flavour and clarity, by removing fermentation stress. The wine resides for three months on the lees, rounding out the profile with nuttiness and cream.