Hemelrand Vine Garden

Chris Alheit is one of South Africa's top winemakers and old vine rescuers, working closely with the Old Vine Project to preserve the country's OV heritage, and making expressive wines of place, like this. Hans Evenhuis planted this vineyard on Hemelrand (Hemel-en-Aarde) in 2010, on gravelly clay and sandstones at 350m, and Alheit calls it Vine Garden, based on the numerous varieties trialled here. The wine is made and bottled just as the vineyard and vintage dictates, creating a white field blend that changes every year. In 2020, the blend is 32% chardonnay, 25% roussanne, 25% chenin, 13% verdelho, and 5% muscat, native fermented slowly in older wood. Fragrant quince, lemon blossom, and wild pear is shaped with pear skin and decked with a slick of white honeyed lees that carries this medium white through a subtly saline finish. Harmonious.

A blend of 26% Chenin Blanc, 26% Chardonnay, 23% Roussanne, 21% Verdelho and 4% Muscat, this opens with initial aromas of toasted apple, spiced pear, peach pit and pie crust, with a hint of singed orange peel in the back. The medium-bodied palate shows good fruit richness graced with a lovely toasty overlay. It sounds decadent, but superbly bright and vibrant acidity and a saline freshness on the finish keep it all in balance.