2500 meters above sea level and to the east of Almaty lies the ASSA VALLEY, unparalleled in its beauty. Surrounded by the Tian-Shan mountains, Assa Valley is a place that combines the beauty of the motherland, a unique climate, and soil that is abundant with minerals. This vast valley is also the source of air streams and water that directly benefit our vineyards.
Climate
Our location is regarded as the most suitable for viticulture and winemaking due to the high mountains, snow, hot summers, the fresh night breeze that prevents grapes from ripening too early and optimal microclimate conditions as well as the fertilitity of the soil. Planted upon the footsteps of snow-covered mountaintops, our vineyards are made truly unique by the climate that surrounds them. The qualities of the environment intensify the photosynthesis process which in turn affects the character of our wies, endowing them with a rich and unique aroma.
Assa Valley
The Turgen River
The Turgen Chine
Air
Soil
Temperature
Assa Valley
The Turgen River
The Turgen River takes its roots from the glaciers of Ile Alatau. It originates in the vast high-altitude Assa Valley, magnificent for its beauty. The river is 90 km long. 12km from its source, the river course turns north and flows within narrow gorges for more than 1 km. For centuries, the Turgen River has enriched our land with mountainous moisture, minerals, fertile soil, sand and granite, and it is what gives our vineyard its vitalizing water.
The Turgen Chine
The Turgen chine is the most magnificent chine of Ile Alatau, located within the Ile-Alatau National Nature Park. Turgen is located 12km West of the city of Issik and 60km from Almaty. The Turgen Chine is known for its waterfalls, hot springs, various forests, alpine and sub-alpine meadows, lakes and springs, medicinal plants and berries. The chine goes 44km up until it reaches vast Assa Valley.
Air
Assa Valley is the source of a refreshing natural breeze which reaches our vineyards. The coolness of night is vital to the grapes during hot summer periods. It renders the grapes more mature and fragrant. Without it, the grapes would be overly sweetened by an excess of sugars and would taste thin due to premature ripening, rather than rich and aromatic. In the evening, vast masses of cool air descend upon the valley, freshening our vineyards with mountain coolness and saturating them with the energy of Mother Nature.
Soil
Our soil has a similar structure to the soil of Bordeaux. For centuries, our region was the delta of the Turgen River. The stone and granite structure of the soil facilitates water saturation, which makes the vine roots especially strong and enduring. Because our soil contains all of the necessary elements for the nutrition of our vines, we are able to produce high-quality organic grapes.
Temperature
World experience shows that the best wines are made in areas with the highest day-night differences in temperature during summer. Low temperatures during the night allow the vines to synthesize adorants and aromas, color and specific polyphenols. Our region is among the best in the World in this regard.