Winemaker Notes
The nose shows grapefruit, Rooibos, plus something earthy and saline. The nose echoes in a way that other wines don't. The palate reverberates in a way that other wines don't. It moves over that palate in a way that other wines don't. That's all I can say. This is one of the best wines I've ever been responsible for. No jokes.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A complete wine in both aroma and mouthfeel, the Alheit Vineyards 2024 Citrusdal Mountain Magnetic North delivers intensity and texture from a high-elevation site at roughly 540 meters planted to own-rooted Chenin Blanc vines now in their mid-40s. Drawn from massal selections prized for their genetic diversity, the wine moves firmly into a grapefruit jelly, Anjou pear and mineral spectrum, with a noticeable phenolic bite that shapes a linear, precise profile. The wine's structure feels architectural in form, like a steel skyscraper, carrying height and clarity. A persistent mineral finish underscores that extreme focus.
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Vinous
The 2024 Magnetic North comes from a massal selection of 2.8 hectares of Chenin Blanc planted on its own roots in 1981 and 1984 in Skurfburg, which Alheit mentioned has not been infected by leafroll. This has a slightly yeasty bouquet, with scents of melted wax and a little grilled hazelnut. The palate has a slightly sharp entry, with grapefruit and sour lemon, edgy and focused, with a hint of rooibos on the persistent finish. Not perhaps the crowd-pleaser like Nautical Dawn, but a fascinating and engaging wine.
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.