Assualt on Asara

Hey,

Having visited Asara a few weeks earlier with friends, I decided to pop round to taste all the wines properly this time. I was also fortunate enough to taste the flagship Avalon red wine (a pinotage made in an italian style, which I'll mention later). I look forward to checking out their new tasting room and hotel that they've built up, especially since reading about it in this months Wine Mag.

Asara has quite a long list of wines, so I'll be a bit selective and write about a handful of the better value and quality wines here. The Sauv Blanc (R55) was quite complex with gooseberry, fig, an overpowering green pepperiness and a slight lemon, citrusy finish. The Chardonnay Reserve (R75) is wooded just the way I like, with heavy butterscotch, almond nuttiness, toast and oranges - surprising light on the palate for such an intense wine and incredibly smooth.

The Cab Sauv (R85) had a bit of that green-ness that people have come to associate with SA Cab's, but it was very well handled - coming out as a bit of fynbos or tobacco - almost a bit tannic, but with black currant and black berries for fruit, the typical cedar, and a lovely dark chocolate finish, it actually made the wine a little more full and complete - great stuff! The Bell Tower (R150) is their Bordeaux blend (Cab driven with all 5 varietals) and showed all the smoothness that I believe Bordeaux's have to offer. This wine is certainly worth sipping with your eyes closed while feeling the warmth of a fire and the crackle of the wood on a late winter night, and will leave you with a smile on your face - I'm tempted to explain the wine, but this is one time where I don't want to ruin the experience, so I suggest getting the wine and trying it out - there is just so much to find in it. The final red was the one I've already spoke about, so I'll go onto it's description, as many of us will not be drinking R450 bottles of wine on a daily basis. The Avalon had a meatiness to it, bordering on salami or leather, with dark, sweet, rich berries, with a hint of banana and coffee on the palate - another well balanced red.

I will also attest to the quality of the dessert wines here, having enjoyed all three of them for different reasons. The Noble Late Harvest (R100) is a perfect show of fruit with tinned peachs, dried apricots and honey playing on your palate. The Spirit of Chenin (R80) is a white port that will go exceptionally well with pancakes (strangely enough), with that smooth macadamian nuttiness, cinnamon, vanilla ice-cream and chocolate powder flavours - completely delicious and a great introduction for non-wine drinkers to make their hearts melt. The last wine is the Pineau (R80) which was the wine I bought in my last trip out to Asara - spicy, chocolaty and berry berry nice (",) A perfect summer sundowner sipper.

I'll be just down the road from Asara over the next 3 days as I complete my course at Jordan (which is another farm that's on my list) so I wish the best for your weekend, and I'll get back to you in the new week, if all goes well.

A toast to your health!
Val