Provenance

Wine Cellar Private Client

Critics Ratings

Huilkrans 2019:
‘From Citrusdal Mountain, as next, 2019 is rich & honeyed, displaying more soft spice & oatmeal notes from old barrels (8-12 years, 300L). Beautifully balanced between peaches-&-cream texture, pineapple & lime acidity. Exceptionally low yields of 1.5-2 t/ha. ±13.5% alcohol, as all except Lost & Found.’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2021, 4.5 (93/100)

‘The 2019 Huilkrans, pure Chenin Blanc matured in 12-year-old, 300-liter barrels and matured on the lees for 12 months, has a wonderful and expressive bouquet of orchard fruit infused with hints of Turkish delight and gâteau basque. The poised, harmonious palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity and citrus peel flavors on the saline finish. Very classy and intellectual, as much about umami as taste.’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 94/100 (Apr 2021)

‘All sourced from Jozua Visser's farm on Citrusdal Mountain, Huilkrans is a "deeper baritone" to the "tenor" of Magnetic North. Rich and textured, it has pear, subtle stone fruit and aniseed flavours, some tangerine and beeswax and a super taut, almost mouth-watering finish. The vines were planted between 1974 and 1984. Let's hope there's a preservation order on them. 2022-29’ - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2020, 98/100

‘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, Winemag.co.za, 95/100 (Jul 2020)

Broom Ridge 2019:
‘There's a pleasing crispness to the acidic frame of this sleek white, working seamlessly with the palate's plump flavor range of melon and Golden Delicious apple, Meyer lemon peel and beeswax, heather and ground white pepper. Intense, without being weighty, comes in on the fuller side of medium-bodied, and the lasting finish is fresh and minerally. Chenin Blanc. Drink now through 2029.’ – Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, 92/100 (Jul 2021)

‘The 2019 Broom Ridge (previously labeled "Fire By Night") is pure Chenin from bush vines, matured in concrete eggs and used barrels for 12 months. It has a waxy bouquet featuring orange blossom and dried honey. The palate is well balanced with red apples, orange peel and a touch of sea salt on the entry. Good tension throughout this Chenin. Almost terse and strict toward the finish, which will benefit from a couple of years in bottle. Excellent, but be patient.’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 93/100 (Apr 2021)

‘Previously labelled as Fire by Night, this all comes from the Alheits' newly acquired Nuwedam farm on the Paardeberg. Showing the focus and grip of granite soils, it's pale, hauntingly scented and refined, with very little oak, appealing purity and weight and understated concentration. 2021-28’ - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2020, 95/100

‘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, Winemag.co.za, 95/100 (Jul 2020)

Lost and Found 2019:
‘Looking at this rich, unctuous wine in the glass is akin to gazing through an ancient piece of Jurassic fossilized amber – ripe, captivating and most definitely warmly inviting. But this is no normal sweet wine and one sniff of the rich, ripe, potent aromatics reveals an enchanting bouquet of freshly boiled marmalade jam, green mango preserve, barley sugar, sweet herbs, wet straw and dried apricots. Give the dense, glycerol wine another slow swirl in a big Zalto Bordeaux bowl and it shifts gears again to offer yet more pithy orange peel nuances and seductive notes of quince jelly, pressed grapes and burnt caramel. Like some of South Africa’s other truly great sweet wines, the aromatics are so complex and seductive that you almost forget to sip the wine! Incredibly viscous and fleshy on the palate with a round glycerol opulence, there is no suggestion at any point that this wine is going to be overly sweet and clawing with its 450 g/l RS. In fact the sweetness is kept smartly in check by a searing acidity that scythes through the caramel and barley sugar laden fruit layers with samurai sword precision. The finish is gloriously mouth coating, hedonistic and persistent with just the most subtle sappy, pithy, bitter orange peel vermouth twang. An incredible vinous expression that represents an unbelievable journey of not only all those who have farmed this block over the decades, but also of the vines themself. A fine wine that will undoubtedly endure and out live most us who are tasting it now. Some of the most desirable decadence available in a bottle.’ – Greg Sherwood MW, 98+/100 (Nov 2022)

‘The maiden (and alas, final) 2019 Lost & Found is Chris Alheit’s foray into sweet wines made entirely from Hanepoot, the local name for Muscat d'Alexandria, from a single vineyard in Breedekloof. Burnished amber in color, it has a captivating bouquet of marmalade, quince and mango notes, all very pure and beautifully defined. The palate is well balanced and viscous in texture, offering marmalade and quince on the entry. It actually reminds me of a Tokay Eszencia, but it is all kept amazingly fresh thanks to the razor-sharp acidity. A spellbinding sweet debut for Chris Alheit, but then again, I didn't expect anything less. Grab this one-off while you can.’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 96/100 (Apr 2021)

‘"Bloody sweet" is how Chris Alheit describes this Muscat d'Alexandrie straw wine, sourced from a vineyard that was planted in the 1880s, and boasting 450 grams of residual sugar. Super concentrated, with low alcohol and high volatile acidity, this has flavours of treacle, molasses and orange marmalade supported by freshness on the finish. 2021-27’ - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2020, 96/100

Magnetic North 2019:
‘The 2019 Magnetic North is matured in cement eggs and used oak barrels. It has a lovely bouquet of peach skin, melted candle wax and light orange blossom scents that is simply irresistible. The aromatics are beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied and full of tension and energy, with a fine bead of acidity and a superb tensile, citric attack on the finish. A subtle egg yolk note lingers on the aftertaste, possibly deriving from the 3.5gm/L residual sugar. Superb.’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 95/100 (Apr 2021)

‘Epitome of Cape old-vine chenin, 2019 from block nearing 40th birthday. Fine citrus pith & peel fruit edged with savoury star-anise spice, richer mid-palate (marmalade) balances out tingling acidity, sweeping in at endless finish. Sublime.’ - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2021, 5* (97/100)

‘Just a whisper away from perfection, this is what a great winemaker does with a world-class vineyard in a smart white wine vintage like 2019. Picked early to retain freshness and focus, Magnetic North hails from two dry-farmed bush vine parcels on Basie van Lill's property, planted in 1981 and 1984. Combining understated power with focus, it has line, length and focus with pear, citrus and wet pebble flavours and a hint of breeze-borne sea salt. Simply stunning. 2022-32’ - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2020, 99/100

‘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, Winemag.co.za, 97/100 (Jul 2020)

Nautical Dawn 2019:
‘Savoury mineral notes showing strongly on 2019, from ocean-facing chenin vines in Stellenbosch. Chalky citrus, aniseed, hint of honey & thrilling acidity throughout, leading to creamy almond paste aftertaste. Combo barrels & foudres. Yet more exciting & appetising than 2018 (4.5 stars, 94 pts).’ - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2021, 5* (96/100)

‘The 2019 Nautical Dawn is hand-sorted, whole-bunch-pressed and matured in a 2,000-liter foudre and used barrels. It has a slightly richer bouquet than the Broom Ridge tasted alongside, touches of wild fennel and mint infusing the light honeyed scents, and yellow flowers emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied and poised, with a zesty opening and fine acidity, although I find the finish just a little too neutral. Speak up, boy!’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 91/100 (Apr 2021)

‘Nautical Dawn is a stunning Chenin Blanc from the Rustenhof farm, planted in 1978 and situated just four kilometres from the waves of False Bay. Fresh, tangy and appropriately salty, with some granitic grip, the understated oak that's a feature of Chris Alheit's winemaking, leesy nuances and the graceful concentration of old vines. 2022-29’ - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2020, 97/100

‘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, Winemag.co.za, 95/100 (Jul 2020)

Cartology 2019:
‘From various old-vine Chenin parcels in Western Cape and 10% Franschhoek Semillon. 2019 really singing, with creamy pineapple and citrus fruit enlivened with a touch of orange peel and toasted oatmeal. Zesty, pithy acidity throughout and excellent length. Even finer than 2018 (4.5 stars, 93 pts). Natural ferment, hands-off winemaking, neutral vessels (here including 20% ‘eggs’).’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2021, 5* (95/100)

‘Such intensity! Salty beeswax on the nose and some green notes (Sémillon?) streak the liquid honey (though it's a bone-dry wine) and real grip on the inside of the palate. Very tense but with masses of fruit. Still very youthful but it's rather difficult to resist. Really throbs for ages on the finish.’ - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Mar 2021)

‘The 2019 Cartology was whole-bunch-pressed and matured in cement eggs, amphorae, foudres and used barrels, fermented for between three weeks and 11 months, and kept on the lees for 12 months. It has a sublime and utterly captivating bouquet of honeysuckle, white peach and flecks of white chocolate and orange peel, all beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp entry, offering vivid scents of citrus peel, lime, orange zest and stem ginger toward a finish that fans out with brio. Another outstanding Cartology from Chris Alheit.’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 94/100 (Apr 2021)

‘Since its first, headline-grabbing release in 2011, Cartology has become a key wine in the history of the new South Africa. Blended across the Western Cape, it's an assemblage of Chenin Blanc with 10% Semillon that’s herbal, textured and sappy with notes of oatmeal, citrus and pear, pithy acidity, subtle oak and a spicy twist. Arguably the best release since 2011. 2021-27.’ - Tim Atkin SA Special Report 2020, 95/100

‘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, Winemag.co.za, 95/100 (Jul 2020)