Provenance

Wine Cellar Private Client

Critics Ratings

‘The terroir in the Alheit wines shows through with the 2017 Radio Lazarus. Beyond the classic Chenin Blanc expressions of yellow apple, Meyer lemon and lanolin, there is a cheese rind aspect that lingers on the palate. The depth and breadth are evident once the wine hits the palate. Alheit knows exactly what they are doing with these wines, which turn out as focused Chenin with precision and minerality. The fruit is woven into a textural sensation that lifts the dusty white minerality, which may have been lent from the clay pots the wine was aged in. No oak was used for this wine. In short, this is a cerebral, medium-bodied wine that has texture and a lively tension, ending with a long mineral-driven finish. Only 165 cases were made, and it's worth the money.’ - Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate, 93+/100 (Oct 2019)

‘Swansong for this label: old Bottelary vines no longer viable. 2017 great aromatic breadth but also mineral tension, vigour in its concentrated, reverberating flavours. Lovely textural quality from ferment/ageing in 100% (Bottelary) clay pots.’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2019, 4.5* (93/100)

'This is very likely the last release of this single-vineyard wine, after winemakers Chris and Suzaan Alheit found the extreme Bottelary site unrecoverable after three years of drought pushed it over the edge. Shame, but it's a beautiful swan song, boasting pure, direct notes of calendula, beeswax, fynbos and Anjou pear from the start. The palate shows good cut, with moderate acidity and a softly pithy texture reminiscent of bitter melon, orange peel and pear. The finish lingers on a saline accent.' - Lauren Buzzeo, Wine Enthusiast, 93/100 (Jul 2019)

‘Get out your handkerchiefs, as they say in France, because 2017 may be the last ever vintage of this incredible wine after the extreme drought of 2018. If so, it’s a good note on which to end. Dense, compact and super concentrated, with stony grip and the acidity of a late-picked site, complemented by aromas from the wild fynbos that surrounds it. RIP, Radio Lazarus. 2020-29.’ - Tim Atkin SA Special Report 2018, 96/100

'The effort that goes into making this cuvée shows immediately on this wine with the most expressive aromatics that seduce you and draw you in. There are lovely notes of white peach, crunchy yellow fruits, yellow plum, white citrus, pear and green apple brightness. The palate is dusty and sappy with hints of stalk spice, crushed fynbos, green herbs, apple skins and crushed gravel minerality. The acids are bright and intense, not sharp at all, but coat the palate and make your mouth water with its sheer purity and clarity. This is a wine of a gnarled, struggling old vine vineyard that is more about dusty minerality, austerity and terroir than any kind of fruit opulence. A heartbreak venture, this is a true heritage wine of the Cape. Drink this fairly open expression on release or age for 20+ years.' - Greg Sherwood MW, 96/100 (Jul 2018)