Asara Vineyard Collection Pinotage Rosé 2018

Asara Vineyard Collection Pinotage Rosé 2018

Exciting things always in the Polkadraai Hills in the western part of the Stellenbosch Wine Appellation. Asara Wine Estate and Luxury Hotel occupies part of this beautiful place of rolling hills with different soils, different altitudes and different aspects. The slopes of Asara produce great fruit for the Asara Vineyard Collection Pinotage Rosé 2018. Harvested at different times in the ideal ripeness window allows the Cellar team now under Johan Joubert to make a fuller flavoured wine which shines out as an a example of a fine Rosé made from South Africa’s indigenous grape – Pinotage.

A harvester’s handful of Pinotage

The grapes for the Asara Vineyard Collection Pinotage Rosé 2018 come from a single block of Pinotage vines where the grapes ripen slowly, cooling afternoon breezes from False Bay facilitate this and maintain the crisp fresh acidity in the grapes. Skins and pips reach perfect ripeness when the grapes are harvested in two sessions in the ideal ripeness window. The first for their acidity and the second for fuller fruit flavours. Once hand harvested, the grapes are taken to the pneumatic press in the cellar and are gently pressed to prevent too much colour extraction. The juices ferment gently at a lower temperature of 12°C to maintain freshness. After blending the two pickings, the wine was left on its lees to integrate and create a balance of lively primary vibrant red berry fruit and a velvety layered lengthy finish. The wine was then prepared for bottling.

A Duiker in the Asara Vineyards

Pour
From a Burgundy shaped bottle under screw cap. The livery is classical Asara. Simple elegant. In the glass, the wine is a charming cherry blossom pink. Whiffs of red berry fruits, and freshly split pomegranates. From entry the first tastes interweave with the berries and crunchy watermelon, and the Pinot Noir parentage of the Pinotage. Some floral notes in the crisp fruited ending.

Dianne Bibby’s Wild Rice Salad with Sweet Peppers

Pair
In this series you will recall that I am working with Dianne Bibby of Bibby’s Kitchen using some of her creations. Dianne Bibby’s Wild Rice Salad with Sweet Peppers is a perfect lunch time dish to go with the Asara Vineyard Collection Pinotage Rosé 2018. Click here for her recipe.

Dianne Bibby in her kitchen