variety : Cabernet Sauvignon [ 100% Cabernet Sauvignon ]
winemaker : Francois Joubert
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 12.21 % vol rs : 4.6 g/l pH : 3.56 ta : 5.1 g/l
type : White style : Off Dry taste : Fruity
pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Screwcap
in the vineyard :
Single vineyard planting at an altitude of 100m. East-facing
rows restrict sun exposure on the bunch zone. The canopy is managed to further occlude
the sun, and the soil type, Tukulu, was selected specifically for its water retention capacity.
Up until final ripening, vineyard micromanagement aims to slow the fruit development
phase.
Five days prior to harvest the canopy is broken to increase sunlight exposure on the
grapes. The vineyard yields an average of 8 tons per hectare of healthy, vibrant grapes.
It's a little known fact that one of the world's best-loved red wine varieties; the masculine, muscular Bordeaux cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon has its roots in a white wine of similar celebrity. DNA profiling at Davis University in 1997 demonstrated conclusively that Cabernet Sauvignon was a cross between Cabernet Franc and none other than Bordeaux's Sauvignon Blanc.
That the variety could be vinified as a white wine seemed obvious to Asara’s winemaking
team. Setting aside a vineyard of optimal quality, with conditions known to enable
extended ripening, the team created the first white Cabernet Sauvignon that South Africa
had seen. The interest was immediate, the profile was unique, and Asara earned its place
in winemaking history.
about the harvest: The grapes are harvested in the cool of morning at 22° Balling, showing minimal colour development and optimal skin integrity. From point of picking, the cold chain is maintained.