Cape Heritage, Sweets & Fortifieds
Timed Online Auction, 5 - 17 June 2025
Cape Heritage - White Wines
About the SessionChenin Blanc is known for its versatility and can produce a wide range of wine styles, especially considering South Africa has the oldest Chenin Blanc vines in the world.
ZAR 15 000
About this Item
Magnetic North is a single origin Chenin Blanc wine. Since it's maiden vintage in 2013, this wine has become a perennial star in our line-up. Every vintage, it manages to combine power and finesse in a way very few other Chenin vineyards from anywhere (not just the Cape) are able to do. From the legendary 'Skurfberg' area, South Africa's 'grand cru' site for Chenin Blanc. These vineyards are in the Citrusdal Mountain ward, situated in the mountain wilderness of the West Coast.
The vineyard lies a few degrees off true north from the cellar, roughly on magnetic North. The name implies distance and exploration. It implies a true course of action or movement. It implies an attractive force causing them to drive miles and miles for there vines. There is plenty of iron in the soil, which is a magnetic element, so that fit nicely too. In physical reality, Magnetic North is always moving, it never remains in the same place, so there is the added implication of a mysterious unattainable target.
Provenance
Private Client
Critics Ratings
'The Van Lill family's vineyards on Citrusdal Mountain are one of the Cape's Grand Cru sites, right up there with the greatest in the world. Chris Alheit's stunning Chenin Blanc, made with "some of the best grapes I've ever seen", hails from blocks ten and 13 and is breathtakingly intense. Pear, passion fruit, rock salt and fynbos flavours are framed by subtle oak and mouth-watering minerality. A great winemaker's interpretation of a sublime terroir. 2023-35' - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2021, 99/100
'From two blocks on Citrusdal Mountain (aka Skurfberg), the one planted in 1981 and the other in 1984. Fermented and matured in a single 2000-litre foudre. Striking aromatics of buchu and other fynbos before pear, peach and grapefruit plus lanolin and earth. The palate is rich with an almost oily texture - great fruit density matched by a cracking line of acidity before a savoury finish. Nothing if not attention grabbing. Production: 2 706 bottles.' - Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 96/100 (Aug 2021)
'The 2020 Magnetic North comes from iron-rich soils and vines planted in 1981 and 1984. It has a distinctive nose with rooibos and fynbos scents, earthy perhaps and well-defined; you'll either love it or hate it (mine is the former). The palate is well balanced with a very tangy entry: marmalade, kumquat and grapefruit, so bitter that it might put some people off. But Alheit describes it as a "weirdo" and the best wine he's made. Impressive, though not his best wine in this vintage (then again, the bar is set high at this address.) 2023-2036' - Neal Martin, Vinous, 92/100 (Aug 2022)
'A distinctive white, almost pungent on the nose, with notes of fresh-cut grass, steeped orange peel, pine and flint following through to the palate to join candied black cherry and apricot fruit. Creamy, with a bright backbone of acidity and a minerally underpinning of smoke and salt. This will have both lovers and haters, but will probably shine brightest paired with food; try grilled fish. Drink now.' - Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, 90/100 (Aug 2022)
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