★

4.46/5

5% off from 12 bottles

Alheit Vineyards : Cartology 2023

Name: Alheit Vineyards : Cartology 2023
Brand: Alheit Vineyards
SKU: J3497/23
Price: 514.3 SEK
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.46 (140 reviews)

Western Cape

- White - See details

514,30 kr Incl. VAT

(

514,30 kr / Unit

)

Packaging : 1 Bottle (75cl)

1 x 75CL

514,30 kr

In-Stock

DeliveryFree for purchases over 3,315 SEK
Guaranteed provenanceWines sourced directly from the producing estates

ALL VINTAGES OF THIS WINE

2024

All Alheit Vineyards wines

Marks and reviews

/100

Robert Parker

Monica Larner

Here's an ambitious wine that beautifully captures the quality and the aspirations of contemporary South African wine. A wine with a clear identity, the Alheit Vineyards 2023 Western Cape Cartology Bush Vines is a blend of 94% Chenin Blanc and 6% Semillon. It draws its fruit from various carefully selected parcels of bush vines in the Western Cape. It starts off slow but maintains a beautiful pace as it picks up intensity and aromas with stone fruit, sweet citrus and crushed stone. It is naturally fermented, and you taste the delicate texture of the fruit. That lasting intensity pounces up from behind and leaves you with a long-lasting sense of purity and freshness.

/100

James Suckling

This has an elegant and pretty nose of fresh pears, lemons, chamomile, wild thyme, beeswax and minerals. It’s deliciously salty and savoury on the palate, medium-bodied but compact and fleshy, nicely weighted. Long and cool. 94% chenin blanc and 6% semillon from bush vines across the Western Cape. Drink from 2025.

/100

Vinous

Neal Martin

The 2023 Cartology has slightly more Sémillon in the blend this year (see the Producer Commentary for Chris Alheit's reasoning why). As usual, this is a blend of what he considers to be his best parcels. It has one of the classiest bouquets you will find in a South African white this vintage: yellow fruit, a soupçon of peach skin, lanolin and whisked egg whites. Stunning delineation and purity. The palate is very well balanced with a bright and tensile opening. This has a killer line of acidity and is full of tension and complexity, concluding with a mineral-driven finish that has a slightly waxy/resinous texture. Very long. Very classy.

Description

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Cartology 2023 from Alheit Vineyards

Tasting

Nose
The nose opens on a vibrant bouquet of ripe pear and citrus zest, accompanied by notes of sweet herbs. With aeration, nuances of candied lemon, perfectly ripe apples, Williams pears, and kumquat emerge, enhanced by subtle touches of oats, honey, quinces, and honeysuckle.

Palate
The palate stands out for its remarkable balance between subtle richness and crystalline freshness. Its silky texture coats the palate, while a saline tension brings energy and lift. The whole lingers on a long, elegant finish.

Serving and cellaring

Cartology 2023 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 10 and 12°C. Decanting or aeration is recommended to fully reveal its aromatic complexity. This wine can be enjoyed now, but it also has cellaring potential through around 2033.

A Chenin Blanc from the Western Cape combining purity and elegance

The estate

Founded in 2011 by Chris and Suzaan Alheit, Alheit Vineyards has established itself as a benchmark in South Africa’s Western Cape. The estate works with a mosaic of old-vine Chenin Blanc and Sémillon from several of the Cape’s finest terroirs, guided by a minimalist philosophy that favors an authentic expression of place through exceptional white wines from dry-farmed vineyards. Their motto, “99% of the work is done in the vineyard, 1% in the cellar,” reflects their non-interventionist approach using indigenous yeasts and natural winemaking.

The vineyard

Cartology 2023 comes from a mosaic of parcels spread across the Western Cape, including Skurfberg, Piekenierskloof, Perdeberg, Bottelary, False Bay, and Tygerberg, as well as Franschhoek for the Sémillon. The vines, aged between 35 and 82 years, are predominantly bush-trained on decomposed granite soils.

Winemaking and aging

Hand-harvested. The grapes for Cartology 2023 are picked by hand, then whole-bunch pressed. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in a range of vessels such as foudres, amphorae, and egg-shaped tanks. The wine is then aged for 12 months on lees, followed by 5 months in tanks on fine lees.

Grape varieties

This white wine from South Africa is a blend of Chenin Blanc (94%) and Sémillon (6%).

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