Asara releases velvet Merlot 2009

Asara Wine Estate and Hotel, the five-star wine and hospitality destination nestled in the Stellenbosch mountains, has released the 2009 vintage of its elegant Merlot.

Asara is nestled in between Stellenboschkloof and Devon Valley, an area famed for its extraordinary red wines. The planting sites for the Merlot grapes are carefully selected to ensure optimum conditions, reflected to best advantage in the smooth palate of Asara’s Merlot 2009.

Asara maintains that the key to producing an award-winning Merlot is to implement a cold maceration 48 hours prior to fermentation, incorporating selected yeast strains. The fermentation process continues for two weeks at a temperature of between 25° and 29° Centigrade. Pumpovers are performed at regular intervals to encourage the full extraction of rich flavours and ripe tannins. The secondary malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks before the essential and final step in the winemaking process: traditional maturation in French Oak casks for 16 months.

The Merlot 2009 offers flavours of rich red berries and plum flavours, mingled with undertones of dried fruit, white chocolate and cream. Flavours of black berries, cherries and marmalade all cluster for dominance together with hints of smooth, velvety chocolate. With its well-balanced wood structure, this wine is gentle on the palate, offering a pleasant, lingering finish.

The Merlot 2009 is now available from Asara Wine Estate and Hotel. For more information about Asara and its range of wines, visit www.asara.co.za or call 021 888 8000.