Alheit Cartology 2020
- Vinous
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Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
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Winemaker Notes
The wine looks alive and bright, pale gold in color. Citrus rind and pear ring clear on the nose, there’s a faint herbal/stony echo and some soft cardamom-like spice here too. The palate is sappy and layered, fine and dry with lovely cleansing acidity. Long finish. I’d say more, but I think the wine will speak for itself.
Blend: 93% Chenin Blanc, 7% Sémillon
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2020 Cartology is blended with 7% Semillon and is essentially an amalgam of Alheit's vineyards, whole bunch pressed and kept on the lees for 12 months. It has a very different nose compared to the "Hereafter Here": more minerality, touches of white tea and broom filtering through the citrus fruit. The palate is very harmonious, spicy and focused, gently building in the mouth towards that finish with a dab of saffron and stem ginger. Wonderful persistence and just a wine that grabs you, demands attention. This is simply outstanding.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This year, Chris Alheit had a delightful little surprise in store for me with a vertical of Cartology from 2022 to 2018. Clocking in at 13% alcohol, the 2020 Cartology Bush Vines is richer and fuller in scope with a clean and expressive nose. Medium-bodied, the palate gives way to a kiss of reduction that percolates through the tasting experience before showcasing impressive weight and balance across the mid-palate. The wine continues to uncoil and unwind over the mineral-laced and energetic finish before imparting lasting flavors of citrus blossoms.
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Wine Spectator
This racy white delivers macerated raspberry and apricot fruit accented by delicate dried chamomile and milled white pepper notes. Light- to medium-bodied, with a backbone of rapierlike acidity wrapped in a honeyed, lightly mouth-coating texture. Minerally finish. Chenin Blanc and Sémillon.
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With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
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South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.