Asara Vineyard Collection Cape Fusion 2016

These three diverse cultivars create a harmonious blend with complex layers of spice, mocha and dark berry aromas. The palette is full around with luscious blackberry, dark chocolate and sweet violet flavours with a dry yet fruity finish.

variety : Shiraz [ 40% Shiraz, 38% Pinotage, 22% Malbec ]

winery : Asara Wine Estate and Hotel

winemaker : Asara Winemaking Team

wine of origin : Stellenbosch

analysis : alc : 14 % vol rs : 4.9 g/l pH : 3.57 ta : 5.5 g/l

type : Red style : Dry body : Full taste : Fragrant wooded

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

The inclusion of Malbec in the Cape Fusion makes this a more unusual take on the Cape Blend; a loosely defined category, where the only mandatory cultivar is South Africa’s own Pinotage. Richly nutrient soils have been chosen for these vineyards, encouraging the deeply coloured, and flavoursome fruit to grow. The style of Pinotage sought for the Cape Fusion blend is fresh and elegant, thus the vines are grown at the highest altitude on the Asara property. These grapes have a special affinity to French oak, producing signature mocha tones that yet allow the fruit to remain at the fore. The robustness behind the blend is a single block of Shiraz whose soils enable easy changes to irrigation regime. The vines are stressed during ripening to reduce the fruit size slightly, contributing the structure and spiciness found in the wine.

in the vineyard : The Pinotage is grown at 210m, the highest altitude on the farm. The soil type is Tukulu, rich in nutrients and moisture, causing the vines to grow with ease and generating the elegance for which the better examples of Pinotage are famed. The vines are planted northwest to southeast, resulting in sun exposure on the grapes twice per day. The Malbec vineyard is grown at 170m on rich Tukulu soils, to encourage the formation of elegant, colour-rich berries. Twice daily sun exposure on the bunches result from their northwest-southeast planting. The Shiraz has been planted at a lower elevation of 100m, to enable its hosting on Oakleaf soils. These are shallower soils, reducing foliage vigour and enabling manipulation through irrigation. The resulting grapes are slightly dehydrated, reducing size and concentrating spiciness, structure and flavour. The average yield is a minimal 6 tons per hectare, concentrating the vineyard efforts on fewer grapes

about the harvest: Grapes are harvested in the cooler hours of morning, sorted and de-stemmed.

in the cellar : After alcoholic fermentation, the Pinotage is placed on French staves for 4 - 5 months. Malolactic fermentation takes place on the staves to develop a creamy texture in the wine. The Shiraz and Malbec components mature in old 225ℓ French barriques to enable optimal fruit preservation. The best of the barrels are selected and skilfully blended before bottling.

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