Alheit Vineyards - Hemelrand Vine Garden 2019
Alheit Vineyard is located in Hemelrand, in the Walker Bay region of South Africa. The Estate was created in 2011 by Chris Alheit, who after having started making pineapple-based beer under his bed as a child, studied viticulture at Stellenbosch where he met his wife Susan with whom he manages the estate today. After their studies, the couple traveled to different wine-growing regions of the world (Napa Valley, Saint Emilion, Australia, Germany…) which aroused respect and admiration for engaged viticulture. They work 21 hectares of vines in several regions as well as plots of lavender and olive trees. The 8 plots of vineyards are located in Skurfberg, Piekenierskloof, Paardeberg, Bottelary Hills, Tygerberg, Franschhoek, False Bay and Hemel & Aarde. They have a minimalist approach to wine making, and for them 99% of the work is done in the vineyard and 1% in the cellar.
Cape Town has a largely Mediterranean climate, with some cooler regions resembling the windy maritime climate of Spanish Galicia. Therefore, Hans Evenhuis (the family friend who lends them the cellar) planted a vineyard on Hemelrand in 2010 called Vine Garden. The idea is to bottle the wine as the vineyard produces it, thus creating a white blend that changes every year depending on the conditions of the vintage.
Hemelrand is situated on the cold and windy Hemel & Aarde Ridge at 360 meters above sea level, on gravelly clay, and sandstone. The vineyard was planted in 2010 to Chardonnay, Roussanne, Verdelho, Chenin blanc, and Muscat Blanc à Petit Grain. The 2019 vintage is a blend of Roussanne (42%), Chardonnay (22%), Chenin Blanc (16%), Verdelho (16%) and Muscat (4%). Each variety is picked and pressed separately. The juice was very lightly settled with no additions to the juice, wild fermentation in took place in old barrels of various sizes. Fermentation lasted for about 2 months, except for the Roussanne which fermented for about 9 months as usual. The wine was kept on lees for around 12 months, then rested in tank on fine lees without fining for a further 6 months prior to bottling.
Grape varieties: 42% Roussanne, 22% Chardonnay, 16% Chenin, 16% Verdelho, 4% Muscat
