Winemaker Notes
High-energy, exotic nose of musky apricot and talcum, fresh apple and lime. On the palate the attack is like stony mineral water, swiftly followed by mouth filling texture and tense tart acidity. A lovely Hemelrand wine, close to a perfect representation of the site.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2024 Hemelrand Vine Garden comes from Hemel en Aarde Ridge at 360m altitude. It has a gorgeous bouquet with lemon balm, orange zest and just peach skin, absolutely beautiful. The palate has exquisite balance, a little more weight than the Chenins, a touch of orange pith and lemongrass, with a touch of white pepper on the finish. Real tension throughout this white blend. This really gains harmony with aeration in the glass and manifests a little more saltiness that urges you back for more.
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James Suckling
This has a fragrant nose of orange blossoms, citrus rind, honey, fresh nutmeg and chopped herbs. Some melon and fresh pineapple, too. It’s bright and lively with just-ripe fruit and floral freshness. 32% roussanne, 28% chardonnay, 25% chenin blanc, 11% verdelho and 4% muscat.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Alheit Vineyards 2024 Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Hemelrand Vine Garden is a field-style blend of 28% Chardonnay, 32% Roussanne, 25% Chenin Blanc, 11% Verdelho and 4% Muscat à Petits Grains, grown at roughly 360 meters above sea level. Aromatically, the wine leans into white flowers and lifted perfumes, with freshness taking precedence over weight. Aware that acidity from this exposed site can verge on shrill, Chris Alheit chose to harvest at 13% potential alcohol, a calculated gamble that brings balance and flow to the palate. Fresh and precise, the wine gains appeal through the interplay between its buoyant acidity and its floral, slightly exotic, bouquet.
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.