Modern, Post-War and Contemporary Art, Decorative Arts and Wine
Online-Only Auction, 22 - 29 March 2021
Wine: Cape Heritage
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
About this Item
Chris and Suzanne Alheit set the wine world on fire with their maiden 2011 Cartology receiving 96 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Aiming to harness the best old vineyards across the Cape, the Cartology offered a textured old-vine Chenin Blanc Semillon blend with startling purity and depth. Passionate and focused on the expression of place, tiny, long-forgotten parcels were added to the range, and are today South Africa’s most profound white wines. We auction maiden vintages of Magnetic Makstok on the legendary ‘Skurfkop’ in the Citrusdal area, Huilkrans in the Paardeberg, La Colline in Franschhoek, and, extremely rare Radio Lazarus in Stellenbosch.
Cartology is one of the most recognisable Cape white blends today.
Cartology (meaning the study of maps) is a vinous exploration of Cape heritage. It’s intended to be a picture of the Cape, seen through the lens of her mature vineyards, in a given vintage. Therefore, the cuveé is composed of rare and extraordinary parcels of mature dryland bushvines. Naturally, the varieties used are also heritage varieties, namely Chenin blanc and Semillon. They have been planted in the Cape for centuries.
Critics Ratings
'Chris Alheit’s “vinous exploration of Cape heritage” continues to delight. Now in its seventh vintage, it’s a cuvée of Chenin and 11% Semillon sourced from ten sites. Waxy, spicy and complete, it has leesy intensity, notes of hay and aromatic herbs and tangy, green apple acidity. 2019-27.' - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2018, 94/100
87% Chenin Blanc, 13% Semillon. A complex and subtle nose of pear, peach, apple, even some blackcurrant plus herbs and a little wet wool. Pure and fresh – hangs together really well – the finish long and dry. This is perhaps not as thrilling as Alheit’s single-vineyard bottlings but it does have a completeness about it. Drawn from vineyards across the Western Cape, this is, as always, a subtle and intellectually demanding wine. Alcohol: 13.5%.' - Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 94/100
'The 2017 Cartology comes from old bush vines, saw no SO2 addition during ferment and, after a rough settling, was matured in used barrels. It has a very attractive bouquet of dried honey, orange blossom and beeswax, very well defined and gaining intensity all the time in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced with a gorgeous tangy, marmalade-tinged opening. The acidity is extremely well judged (as it nearly always is) and a touch of stem ginger and rhubarb emerges toward the poised, energetic finish. Excellent.' - Neal Martin, Vinous, 93/100 (Aug 2018)
The 2017 Cartology Bush Vines represents all that is good about Chenin Blanc from South Africa. With so many different styles existing in South Africa today, the Catrology has a focused and refined nose with a weight on the mid-palate that can be felt by the drinker. This wine is both precise and elegant. Just by feeling the wine on the palate, you begin to sense the love and attention this wine received during its élevage. Muskmelon, creamy peach yogurt and Meyer lemon glide over the palate and will make you do a double take. Sensations of light beeswax and dusty citrus blossoms follow the fruit onto the finish. The wine is full-bodied with a full-structured finish that lingers long. This is going into my cellar, and I recommend that you grab a bottle for yourself. 1,400 cases were made. - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 93/100 (Oct 2019)
Provenance
Wine Cellar Private Client
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