Alheit Vineyards : Cartology 2024

The 2024 Cartology comes from fruit picked in the early morning, wild-fermented with 12 months on fine lees. It offers lilting scents of orange blossom, kumquat and hints of white linen in the background, well defined, but it needs time to unfurl. The palate is well balanced with a slightly waxy-textured entry, quite spicy with a dash of white pepper, leading to a taut, refreshing finish that lingers wonderfully on the palate. One of the Cape's iconic wines continues its run of form, but I prescribe decanting for an hour or two.

This has enticing aromas of citrus pith, papayas, fresh herbs, honey and blue cheese. It’s creamy and textured, with a delicious salty, savory character. Medium- to full-bodied. 92% chenin blanc and 8% semillon from bush vines across the Western Cape. Drink or hold.

The Alheit Vineyards 2024 Cartology Bush Vines blends Chenin Blanc with 8% Semillon, the Chenin drawn from nine plots across the Cape, ranging from 40 to 60 years old, and the Semillon from vines nearing 90 years of age. Conceived as a study in mapping and terroir, Cartology assembles diverse soils and climates into a singular expression of the Western Cape. The 2024 vintage shows linear drive, salinity and freshness alongside textural richness and layered depth. Complex yet composed, it captures what Alheit describes simply as a white wine of the Western Cape. By uniting sites shaped by ocean winds, ancient soils and old vines, the wine reflects a distinctly South African identity grounded in both heritage and precision. This is a thrilling wine made in a larger production (with 22,510 bottles, plus 240 magnums made) at an affordable price.