The pinnacle of the range is the Alto MPHS, a flagship release made in tribute to the estate's previous winemakers, whose initials make up the name. Produced only in exceptional vintages, this exclusive blend 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Cabernet Franc encapsulates the thread of family, tradition and quality that has run through Alto for close on a century. The name MPHS reflects the initials of the four winemakers who have built the reputation of the farm. They are Manie Malan, whose father planted only red cultivars on Alto as early as the 1920s; Piet du Toit, who acquired the farm in 1959; his son, Hempies, the renowned Springbok rugby player, who took over in 1983; and Schalk himself, who joined Alto in 2000.