Alheit Magnetic North 2020
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The nose is vivid and pure, yet near impossible to pin down. The palate is a long, bristling arc of sour fruit and citrus oil; the finish lingers on in a steady hum.
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Wine & Spirits
Chris and Suzaan Alheit grow this wine on two southeast-facing parcels of dry-farmed, ungrafted bush-trained chenin blanc. Those 7 acres of vines produced enough juice to fill the old, 2000-liter foudre in which it fermented, and later rested for a year on its lees. Firmly packed, this wine rewards patience, but clearly communicates its complexity on the first day. Scents of tobacco smoke and pie crust keep changing shape along a lemon and mineral through line—the parcels are iron-rich sand over gravel and red clay. The wine feels winter-hardy and restorative, like a ginger tisane. Pour it with simply and skillfully roasted chicken with winter root vegetables and demi-glace.
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Wine Spectator
A distinctive white, almost pungent on the nose, with notes of fresh-cut grass, steeped orange peel, pine and flint following through to the palate to join candied black cherry and apricot fruit. Creamy, with a bright backbone of acidity and a minerally underpinning of smoke and salt. This will have both lovers and haters, but will probably shine brightest paired with food; try grilled fish.
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Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
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.