Asara Noble Late Harvest 2001

Brilliant concentrated liquid gold made from botrytis blessed Chenin grapes. A honeyed bouquet, layered with ripe pineapples, sun dried peach and apricot aromas. It is a concentrated, yet elegant wine with good fruit acidity that allows for long ageing.

variety : Chenin Blanc [ 100% Chenin Blanc ]

winery : Asara Wine Estate and Hotel

winemaker : Jan van Rooyen

wine of origin : Stellenbosch

analysis : alc : 14.0 % vol rs : 88.0 g/l pH : 3.59 ta : 7.8 g/l va : 0.84 g/l so2 : 209 mg/l fso2 : 44 mg/l

type : Dessert style : Sticky body : Full taste : Fruity

pack : Bottle closure : Cork

AWARDS

Veritas 2007 - Gold
2001 Young Wine Show - Reserve Champion

in the vineyard : Despite another relatively warm and dry winter leading up to the harvest of the 2001 vintage, Asara Wine Estate was blessed by the development of the very special noble rot, or botrytis cinerea, in one of the Chenin Blanc vineyards. This sixteen-year-old vineyard is east-south-east facing on a Westleigh dark clay/yellow Tukulu soil.

about the harvest: A small crop of three tons was selected by hand in the vineyard and transported to the cellar in 20kg lug boxes.

in the cellar : At the cellar the grapes were cooled and sulphited before crushing gently. Analysis after crushing showed a sugar level of 33 º B, total acidity of 9.2 g/l and 3.68 pH. The grape mash was kept in the tank press for 48 hours skin contact prior to pressing. By treating the juice with a special white wine tannin fining agent, the development of brown oxidised colours and flavours could be prevented. After the juice was collected, we inoculated with a selected French yeast strain and transported the wine into second-fill barriques on the third day of fermentation.

The wine was left in the barrels for two weeks and then racked into a stainless steel tank where the fermentation was stopped. This barrel treatment gave an extra dimension to an already complex wine that is produced in a drier style.

The wine was bottled on the estate on 15 June 2001.
The production was 500 x 375 ml bottles.

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