Alheit Vineyards - Western Cape Cartology 2023
South Africa
White
Sold individually
Drink or Keep
17++/20
Jancis Robinson
-
95/100
Vinous
"One of the most elegant bouquets to be found in a South African white of this vintage according to critic Vinous!"
"Cartology 2023 contains a little more Semillon in the blend this year. As usual, it's a blend of what he considers his best parcels. It has one of the most elegant bouquets to be found in a South African white of this vintage: yellow fruit, a hint of peach skin, lanolin and stiffly beaten egg whites. The delineation and purity are astounding. The palate is very well balanced, with a lively, taut opening. The acidity of this wine is formidable, it's full of tension and complexity and ends with a mineral finish with a slightly waxy/resinous texture. Very long. Very elegant. 2025-2040" (Vinous 2024)
Features
Estate
Alheit Vineyards
Cuvée
Cartology
Vintage
2023
Designation
Western Cape
Region
South Africa
Grape varieties
94% Chenin blanc, 6% Sémillon
Terroirs
Soils of decomposed granite, Chenin from the Skurfberg, Piekenierskloof, Perdeberg, Bottelary, False Bay and Tygerberg vineyards, and Semillon from the Franchhoek vineyard, vines ranging from 35 to 82 years old, altitude from 60 to 760 meters depending on the vineyard, rainy climate.
Viticulture
Reasoned
Harvest
Manual
Winemaking
Whole-bunch pressing, fermentation in oak tuns, amphorae and ovoid vats
Breeding
12 months on lees (same wooden containers as during fermentation), then 5 months in vats on fine lees, unfined and unfiltered.
Alcohol content
13,1%
Tasting & pairing
Eye
Straw yellow, golden highlights, shiny disk
Nose
Fresh, vibrant scents of ripe pear, citrus zest, honeysuckle and seductive, herbaceous nuances.
Mouth
Remarkable balance between rich aromas and crystalline freshness, silky texture, long, elegant finish with saline tension.
Serve
AT 10-12°C
Open
1 hour before
Drink from
2024
Drink before
2040
Food and wine pairing
Enjoy with pork filet mignon, baked turbot with muscadet sauce, sautéed poultry...
Alheit Vineyards
Western Cape
Expert opinion
Wine Spectator
Domaine noté (guide 2021) Recommended (wine producer recommended by Wine Spectator)
Jancis Robinson
Wine rated (guide 2024) 17++/20
About the wine:
Tense nose. It smells of waiting, expectation, the pause before the storm. Tangerine. Pineapple peel. Pomelo. There's a moment, mid-palate, when the flavors also pause, curling in on themselves as if trying to contain their energy. A wine in no hurry to spread its wings, though you can see them, undulating with an undercurrent of power. An aggregate of tiny snapshots of gold and green, filling the corners with nervous energy. Keep it for a while if you can: it needs all the time you can give it. 2027-2032
Vinous A. Galloni
Wine rated (guide 2024) 95/100
About the wine:
Cartology 2023 contains a little more Semillon in the blend this year. As usual, it's a blend of what he considers his best parcels. It has one of the most elegant bouquets to be found in a South African white of this vintage: yellow fruit, a hint of peach skin, lanolin and stiffly beaten egg whites. The delineation and purity are astounding. The palate is very well balanced, with a lively, taut opening. The acidity of this wine is formidable, it's full of tension and complexity and ends with a mineral finish with a slightly waxy/resinous texture. Very long. Very elegant. 2025-2040
Tim Atkin
Graded area (2020 guide) Recommended
Customer reviews
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