Tasting notes
Alheit Vineyards, Cartology 2019
90% Chenin Blanc, 10% Semillon. The 'flagbearer' of the range and what a super-sexy wine it is in 2019! The nose shows citrus, apple, peach and hay to go with some flinty reduction and a little waxiness. The palate has great fruit density, punchy acidity playing off against a slightly oily texture while the finish is long and pithy. Properly complex (La Colline had to go somewhere…). – Christian Eedes, 95/100
Alheit Vineyards, Lost & Found 375ml 2019
A straw wine from a Breedekloof vineyard of Hanepoot planted in the late 1800s, thought to be the oldest producing vineyard in the country. A fabulously complex nose showing top notes of barley sugar, straw, mint, dried herbs and potpourri before preserved orange, dried apricot and caramel. The palate is inevitably viscous in texture but there’s also riveting acidity and the finish is dry. Profoundly good. Alc: 7.4%. – Christian Eedes, 98/100
Alheit Vineyards, Magnetic North 2019
From ungrafted Skurfberg Chenin Blanc. Compelling aromatics of pear, peach and grapefruit with both some smoky reduction and hay in the background. The palate, as ever, is just wonderfully pure, harmonious and long. It’s a little higher in alcohol and residual sugar than usual but this serves only to give the wine extra presence. Has a real completeness about it. – Christian Eedes, 97/100
Alheit Vineyards, Huilkrans 2019
From Skurfberg Chenin Blanc. A striking nose of citrus, peach, dried herbs and baking spice plus a rather funky waxiness. With great depth of fruit and vibrant acidity, this is altogether more powerful and showy than other recent vintages. It’s still extraordinarily complex and long, however. – Christian Eedes, 95/100
Alheit Vineyards, Broom Ridge 2019
From Chenin Blanc vineyards planted between 1972 and 1985. The nose shows a quite particular thatchy note as well as some potpourri before pear, white peach and lime. The palate is lean and energetic with a super-dry finish. Rather severe at this point but will no doubt unfurl into something rather beautiful in time. – Christian Eedes, 95/100
Alheit Vineyards, Nautical Dawn 2019
From a 1978 vineyard on the Sinai Hill in the Firgrove area of Stellenbosch. A pretty nose of flowers, talcum powder, white peach and citrus. The palate has great fruit definition and crisp acidity before a slightly bitter finish. This has a lovely clarity about it – pure, balanced and wonderfully sleek. – Christian Eedes, 95/100
Alheit Vineyards, Hemelrand Vine Garden 2019
42% Roussanne, 22% Chardonnay, 16% Chenin Blanc, 16% Verdelho and 4% Muscat. An exotic and enticing nose with pronounced notes of honeysuckle and dried herbs before pear, peach and spice plus a hint of reduction. The palate shows pure, clean fruit to go with lemon-like acidity and a dry finish. Seamlessly assembled. – Christian Eedes, 93/100
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