A White Field Blend Made Between Heaven and Earth
Where It's From
Alheit Vineyards is a wine producer from South Africa. Now South Africa may not be the first country you think of in regards to wine production, however, it is this writers personal opinion that South Africa has the potential to make some of the finest wines in the world. In one of the most unique situations in the world of wine, South Africa is considered both an old world and a new world wine producing country. Wine has been produced in South Africa since the 18th century, however, due to the government's control over the wine industry during Apartheid (and all other industries for that matter), true winemaking in modern days has only been practiced since 1994. Prior to that, all grape growing was controlled by the co-op and most grapes were destined to be distilled into spirits.
The vineyards of Hemelrand Vine Garden are situated on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge at approximately 360 meters or, for us in the states, about 1180 feet. The Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge is located in the Walker Bay wine district which boasts a relatively cool, maritime climate producing wines with great acidity. Soils are gravelly clay and sandstone which equates to a mix of good drainage yet enough water retention not to overly stress the vines.
Varietal Composition
This wine is what is colloquially referred to as a field blend, meaning the blend reflects not only the composition of the vineyard but also how well each variety performed in that particular vintage. For the 2016 vintage, the blend was Roussanne 48%, Chardonnay 22%, Chenin Blanc 27%, Verdelho 3%.
In The Glass
This is one of my favorite wines, period. Aromas of lemon zest and stone fruit permeate the nose and jump out of the glass. Keep in mind, the wine does have a little bottle age, it’s going on five years old, so those initial fruity aromas have lessened from their original heights to reveal some of the quieter tertiary notes such as marzipan and baking spices.
Acidity is what I would describe as medium high to high, there's enough to make your mouth water but not enough to necessitate food in order to drink the wine. That said, this wine would pair beautifully with a subtler seafood dish such as sea scallops with leeks or a gentler cheese such as Humboldt Fog.
Producer's Information
Alheit Vineyards is a small producer in the Cape region of South Africa. Helmed by husband and wife team of Chris and Suzaan Alheit, the two have been producing wines from the local vineyards since 2010.
Their goal when producing wines is to let the vineyard speak for itself. They're what you would call minimal intervention winemakers; no added yeast, no acidification, no sulphur prior to fermentation, no new barrels, just the grapes and their resulting song. This allows for an absolutely beautiful wine that speaks true of a time and a place.
Alheit Vineyards - South Africa
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