Tanzania - Sharye Red Wine

My ideal trip around the world goes on, hoping to find hidden diamonds among stones. Here it is the second of the three bottles I bought in Tanzania. In principle, this should be better than the other, as the company can benefit of the Italian know-how since the very beginning of their adventure. And they even have a website!

The curiosity is too much so let’s pour this nectar in a glass and taste it!

Domaine and vineyard

The story of this experience, a mix of mission and enterprise, begins in 2004 when the Italian engineer and entrepreneur Fiorenzo Chesini was contracted by the Italian charity foundation Sa     n Zeno to dig a well for potable water in the village of Hombolo. Once there he realized that almost fifteen years before an Italian missionary, running a mission there, had brought with him some grapes and started to cultivate it there producing some wine. Unfortunately, after few years he was moved to another place and the production ceased but the legacy remained in the know-how and in the vines of some local producers. Back to Italy he told this story to the foundation and added his firm conviction that good wine could have been produced there. San Zeno accepted to fund the adventure so in 2004 an old  grain store is reconditioned and becomes the cellar of the new Central Tanzania Wine Company (CETAWICO) and is then equipped with the latest tools for wine production. Two agronomists, one Italian and one Tanzanian, rule the daily routine. In 2005 first products are on the market and start being spread to the European and American buyers. In addition the CETAWICO participated at the famous Italian wine exhibition Vinitaly.

The wine

Sharye is a wine produced from the blend of Marzemino, Teroldego, Syrah and Aglianico coming from hundreds of local producers, all organic, who work in the region of Hombolo. The region is located in the central Tanzania, The climate is mild and breezy, with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 35°C. In Hombòlo it rarely rains, but thanks to an irrigation system constructed in the nineties by the Italian government, the soil is fertile and produces two harvests per year (March and September).

Once completed the harvest the grapes are cleaned with compressed air and then placed in a stemming and crushing machine. The juice together with the skins is pumped into special stainless steel fermentation tanks with temperature control.

The fermentation tank capacity is approximately 1000 hl and also the stainless steel storage tanks, where the wine matures for 6 months, have a similar capacity. The filling machine is completely automatized and is equipped with a filtering and micro filtering system.

The finished bottles, complete with label, cork and capsule are manually packed into carton boxes and stored in a room with temperature and humidity control. In this status it remains 2 months before being sent to the market.

Tasting Note

Date	01 July 2014
Wine name	SHARYE	Vintage	//
Nation	Tanzania	Region	Hombolo
AOC-DOC	//	Grape Varieties	Marzemino, Teroldego, Aglianico, Syrah
Serving temperature	16-18° C	Alcohol	12,5
Price (in euro)	6

Visual Examination		Taste analysis
Limpidity	Limpid	Body	Full
Color	Ruby Red	Balance	Balanced
Consistency	Quiet consistent	Soft sensations	Warm – Quite Soft
Effervescence	//	Hard sensations	Quite Tannic
		Flavors intensity	Quite intense
Olfactory analysis		Flavors	Fruits, sweet spices
Aroma intensity	Intense
Complexity	Quite complex	Finish/Persistence	Quite persistent
Quality	Fine	Overall evaluations
Aromas	Apricot, spices, coffee	Development	Young
	chocolate	Harmony	Quite Harmonious

Food pairing

Roasted and grilled meats, game and mature cheese 

The main characteristic of this Sharye is certainly the warmth and sweetness that follow you all along the tasting, in the nose and in the mouth. Two marks not at all disappointing but more likely to be the footprint of the Tanzanian temperature and terroir. In conclusion a nice wine, ideal to be drunk as young as it is, perfect to give a touch of exotism to your BBQ on the beach!   

Official website: www.cetawico.com