variety : Chardonnay [ 100% Chardonnay ]
winemaker : Jan van Rooyen
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 14.0 % vol rs : 2.5 g/l pH : 3.5 ta : 6.0 g/l
type : White style : Dry wooded
pack : Bottle closure : Cork
in the vineyard : The terroir and meso-climate of Asara Estate is fully expressed in this Chardonnay. A well managed canopy and excellent vineyard treatment by our viticulturist, Pieter Rossouw and his team enabled us to harvest at full ripeness for this style of wine. As a result, Asara Chardonnay Reserve is created to celebrate the maximum potential of this variety to all lovers of excellent Chardonnay.
Age: 10 years old
Clone: CY3 and CY5
Rootstock: Richter 99 & 110
Soil type: Tukulu and Villafontes
Trellising: Ext Double Perold and 5 wire Hedge
Plant spacing: 1.2m x 2.5m
in the cellar : In stead of whole bunch pressing, we crushed the grapes and gave a short period of skin contact at low temperature. This was followed up by delicate pressing cycle in the pneumatic press. After settling in stainless steel tanks at a low temperature (10ºC) for 48 hours, a high quality clear juice could be sent to fermentation.
Our Chardonnay is made in a rich and full-flavoured style. We enhance the richness and depth of flavour by: (1) inoculating half of the juice compliment with a Burgundy yeast strain, (2) allowing half to undergo natural fermentation, (3) exclusively using French oak barrels, and (4) by keeping the wine in contact with the yeast lees for 13 months (a true sur lie). The ratio of new to second-fill and third-fill oak was 45% - 42% - 13%. After maturation, the barrels were emptied into a tank and the wine was stabilised and bulkfiltered before bottling.
Estate bottled on 07 December 2005.
The production was 11,000 x 750 ml bottles and 1,200 x 375 ml bottles.