Alheit Vineyards : Huilkrans Chenin Blanc 2023

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Huilkrans Chenin Blanc 2023 from Alheit Vineyards

Tasting

Color
The color reveals a bright straw-yellow hue, enhanced by golden highlights at the rim.

Nose
Elegance dominates on the nose, with notes of citrus juice and orange blossom, complemented by delicate hints of saline spice.

Palate
On the palate, tension builds almost imperceptibly before unfolding into remarkable power. The structure feels full and fresh, combining balance and intensity. The mineral impression stands out for its salinity, with fine minerality and a hint of white pepper. The finish is energetic and lively, vibrant and pure, with impressive complexity.

Serving and cellaring

The Huilkrans Chenin Blanc 2023 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. This wine offers outstanding aging potential and can be cellared until around 2035.

A powerful, mineral Chenin Blanc from the Olifants River Valley

The estate

Alheit Vineyards was founded in 2011 by Chris and Suzaan Alheit in the Walker Bay region of the Western Cape. The estate now spans 21 hectares, spread across eight distinct parcels in various South African winegrowing areas. Chris and Suzaan Alheit run the estate, with the support of Chris’s parents. The winery stands out for its minimalist approach, placing vineyard work at the forefront: old-vine bush vines, dry farming, and fermentations with indigenous yeasts. Specializing in white wines—particularly Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay—Alheit Vineyards authentically expresses South Africa’s wine identity.

The vineyard

Huilkrans comes from the Oudam farm, located at 450 meters above sea level on the Citrusdal mountain—also known as Skurfberg—in the Olifants River Valley. The Chenin Blanc vines, planted between 1974 and 1989, are farmed sustainably with minimal intervention, without irrigation. The sandy and red clay soils, combined with the warm Mediterranean climate, enable the vines to produce exceptionally low yields.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Huilkrans Chenin Blanc 2023 are hand-harvested as whole bunches. After whole-bunch pressing, fermentation takes place exclusively with indigenous yeasts in old foudres and used barriques of varying sizes, without major intervention. The wine then ages for 12 months on the lees in the same vessels, followed by a further 6 months in tank on fine lees. This wine from the Western Cape is neither fined nor filtered, preserving its natural integrity and complexity.

Grape variety

This white wine from South Africa is 100% Chenin Blanc.