Critics Ratings

‘Is this the best vintage of Cartology since the maiden 2011 release? I reckon so. Made from a blend of Chenin Blanc and 10% Semillon, spanning the Western Cape from Citrusdal Mountain to Faure, it's weighty yet ethereal, with lots of leesy intensity, subtle oak and pear and citrus fruit. 2020-28’ - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2019, 95/100

‘Some citrus fruit, green fruits and a light stone-dust minerality. There’s a note of oak spice but it’s subtle. So seductively creamy on the palate but with a piercing freshness to balance. Intense and alive. Stunning new vintage.’ – Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Sep 2019)

‘The traditional Cartology blend with a dominant 90% Chenin Blanc and 10% Semillon in support. As previous, this is a multi-vineyard, multi-regional blend to produce one of South Africa’s strongest white wine brands. The nose resonates with notes of fresh stable straw, honey on white toast, freshly squeezed peach juice, dusty granitic minerality and a subtle leesy, smoky touch of reduction. The palate shows an impressively spikey fresh acidity twinned with a crystalline yellow orchard fruit concentration so typical of so many 2018 South African whites. There is something so familiar about this Cartology yet also some intriguingly unique vintage characters of hawthorn, quince and unripe tangerines. This wine shows more focus, linearity and salinity than bigger previous vintages and strikes another powerful note for the premium white wines from the 2018 vintage.’ – Greg Sherwood MW, 93+/100 (Jul 2019)

‘The original Alheit wine, from far-flung vineyards. Just 10% semillon with chenin in 2018 but enough to add some wax & honey notes to soft yellow apple fruit & lemon zest freshness. Touch of oatmeal & nuts from old oak & 10 months on lees, a little weight mid-palate from small concrete ‘egg’-fermented portion.’ - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2020, 4.5* (93/100)

‘Combining elegance with power, this stunning white opens with a note of rich lemon cream before flavors of peach and pine take over, with hints of bittersweet almond around the edges. The texture is alluring, almost velvety, but has a bit of grip, adding to the structure. A long savory mineral streak marks the finish. Chenin Blanc and Sémillon. Best from 2022 through 2032.’ – Wine Spectator, 93/100 (Nov 2020)

‘Consisting of 90% Chenin Blanc and 10% Semillon sourced from across the Western Cape, the nose shows a top note of hay before pear, peach and citrus plus just a hint of leesy complexity. On the palate, lovely fruit expression and zippy acidity before a long and salty finish. With an alcohol of 13%, it’s perhaps lighter bodied than some of its predecessors but hardly delicate or insubstantial. It’s poised, detailed and it moves really well in the mouth – the sample bottle that gave rise to this tasting note did not last long.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 93/100 (Jun 2019)

‘A blend of 90% Chenin Blanc and 10% Sémillon, this just screams Chenin from the glass, thanks to notes of waxed melon rind, crisp pear slices, lightly toasted apple and pressed yellow flowers. The medium-weight palate feels round and filling on entry, but is then picked up after the sip thanks to focused acidity and a light astringent texture that lends length to the finish. Overall, this is well-balanced and ready to go now and through 2026.’ – Lauren Buzzeo, Wine Enthusiast, 92/100 (May 2021)

Provenance

Private Client