Alheit Vineyards Hemelrand Vine Garden 2025 channels the exotic energy of its high‑altitude Hemel & Aarde Ridge site in a singular white field blend. Chris and Suzaan Alheit bottle the vineyard’s pure expression each season, a philosophy that has earned the label consistent acclaim — including 95‑point scores from Neal Martin (Vinous) and 94‑point ratings from Tim Atkin MW. The 2025 release stands as an intensely complex, monumental achievement.

The Name: Vine Garden aptly describes both the attention to detail in small scale viticulture on Hemelrand and the handful of grape varieties represented in the vineyard.

Varieties: 36% Roussanne; 27% Chardonnay; 23% Chenin Blanc; 11% Verdelho; 3% Muscat Blanc

Hemelrand Vine Garden is a unique vineyard that produces a unique wine. The idea is to bottle the wine just as the vineyard produces it, effectively creating a white field blend that changes every year depending on the vintage conditions. This way we have one place expressed by a few different grapes, changing as the season dictates. The wine is always remarkable and continues to gain in stature as the vines mature.

Hemelrand it 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 a petit grain. However, as mentioned the proportions of the different grapes produced significantly varies each vintage. Viticulturally speaking this is a marginal site, the upside of which is slow ripening with high natural acidity. 

The grapes were picked early in the morning, sorting in the vineyard, and whole bunch pressed. The juice was very lightly settled (we like very cloudy raw juice) with no additions to the raw juice, wild fermentation took place in old barrels of various sizes. Fermentation lasted for about two months. The wine was kept on lees for around 12 months, then rested in tank on fine lees without fining for a further six months prior to bottling. Very simple, careful winemaking.

Tasting Notes: Bright, exotic nose. Powerful and heady. Notes of stone fruit and rind, some sweet oatmeal. Very complex. Maybe some quince? The palate is “feeling very Olympic today.” Surging acidity, full bodied. Finish is long and pointed, sweet/sour snap. The nose is bright and exotic, powerful and heady, with stone fruit and rind, a touch of sweet oatmeal and a whisper of quince. The palate is full-bodied with surging acidity, finishing long and pointed with a distinctive sweet-sour snap. Wild-fermented in old barrels over roughly two months, then matured for 12 months on lees before a further six months resting on fine lees in tank, unfined. 14% alcohol. This is the last vintage farmed by longtime grower Hans Evenhuis, and by Alheit's own account, probably the finest Vine Garden to date.

Food Pairing: The wine's richness and acid drive suit food with some weight and spice: think roast chicken with an apricot and herb stuffing, grilled langoustine with brown butter, or a mildly spiced Cape Malay curry. It also has the texture to stand up to a washed-rind cheese.

ANALYSIS: ALC 14% | TA 6.55g/L | pH 3.3 | RS 2.3g/L