Hemelrand Vine Garden Chenin Blanc, Alheit Vineyards, Chris and Suzaan Alheit 2024

.Alheit Vineyards, Chris and Suzaan Alheit, Hemel-en-Aarde

Based on Hemelrand, a beautiful mountain farm situated high on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge in Walker Bay, Alheit Vineyards is owned by Chris and Suzaan Alheit and is very much a family affair. Inspired by their time spent working in vineyards across Europe, Chris and Suzaan are passionate about producing wines with a true sense of place, using minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery. They specialise in producing hand-crafted whites, as they believe that the grape varietals have the right level of transparency and purity to express their origins and the results speak for themselve

360 meters above sea level, on gravelly clay, and Sandstone. The vineyard was planted in 2010 to Chardonnay, Roussanne, Verdelho, Chenin Blanc, and Muscat Blanc a petit grain. However, as mentioned, the proportions of the different grapes produced significantly varies each vintage. Viticulturally speaking, this is a marginal site, the upside of which is slow ripening with high natural acidity.

High-energy, exotic nose of musky apricot and talcum, fresh apple and lime.  On the palate the attack is like stoney mineral water, swiftly followed by mouth filling texture and tense tart acidity.  A lovely Hemelrand wine, close to a perfect representation of the site.

Grapes: 36% Chardonnay, 28% Roussanne, 18% Chenin Blanc, 17% Verdelho, 1% Muscat