'Hemelrand Vine Garden' Alheit Vineyards 2022

Alheit Vineyards 'Hemelrand Vine Garden' is the expression of a single vineyard planted with 5 different white grape varieties, resulting in a wine of exceptional complexity and organoleptic fullness. It is a so-called 'field blend' of the Hemelrand vineyard, which changes its characteristics from year to year depending on the vintage. This vineyard is located in the Hemel & Aarde Ridge area in Overberg, the place where the Alheit Vineyards project started thanks to the collaboration between Chris and Suzaan Alheit and winegrower Hans Evenhuis.

Alheit Vineyards' 'Hemelrand Vine Garden' consists of a blend of Chardonnay (36%), Roussanne (28%), Chenin Blanc (18%), Verdelho (17%) and Muscat Blanc a Petit Grain (1%), all varieties from the same single vineyard. The vines, planted in 2010 on gravelly soils rich in clay and sandstone, are located at an altitude of 360 metres above sea level in the cool and windy Hemel & Aarde Ridge climate. Due in part to the area's microclimate, every year a variable percentage of the grapes develop what is known as 'noble rot'. Following the harvest, which is carried out by hand in the early hours of the morning with careful selection directly in the vineyard, the grapes are transferred to the cellar and pressed whole cluster. At this point, the must undergoes no less than 2 months of spontaneous alcoholic fermentation in old wooden barrels of different capacities, the same type of container where the mass is left to mature for about 12 months on the fine lees. This is followed by a further 6 months of ageing in steel, again on the fine lees, and the wine is finally bottled without the use of additives or clarification.

The South African white wine 'Hemelrand Vine Garden' from Alheit Vineyards has a golden yellow colour. The nose reveals complex aromas of tropical fruit, apricot, dried orange peel and sweet spices, while the flavour is full and quite powerful, well supported by the fresh-savoury component that anticipates the lingering finish.