Winemaker Notes
Blend: 36% Chardonnay, 27%Roussanne, 18%Chenin Blanc, 16% Verdelho, 3% Muscat
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2021 Hemelrand Vine Garden is one of Chris Alheit's biggest successes and encapsulates everything great about his wine. Initially quite neutral, it reveals wondrous sea spray, honeysuckle, Provençal herbs and hints of powdered chalk on the nose. The palate has exquisite balance, very cohesive and intense, yet the acidity keeps this so fresh with hints of yellow plum, frangipane and quince towards the extended finish. You just want to go back for another sip (and I bet you will).
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Wine Spectator
A rich, mouthwatering white set in a sleek and well-knit medium-bodied frame. Offers hints of crushed pink peppercorn and fleur de sel that crackle on the palate, accenting ripe, grainy pear, ruby red grapefruit, slate and ground anise and cardamom flavors as they expand through the plush, lasting finish. An intriguing, expressive version. Chardonnay, Roussanne, Chenin Blanc, Verdelho and Muscat. Drink now through 2028.
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Wine & Spirits
This field blend grows at a vineyard the Alheits planted in 2010 to chardonnay, roussanne, chenin blanc, verdelho and muscat. Though muscat only made up three percent of the blend in 2021, its florals shine through the restrained fruit flavors. The second sip focuses your attention more on the herbal apple flavors and waxy texture.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.