*Alheit Cartology*

If you wanted to try a wine that perfectly captures the quality renaissance that has been quietly happening in South Africa, Alheit's Cartology would be a fantastic place to start. The flagship white wine of Chris and Suzaan Alheit's eponymous winery, Cartology is made primarily from Chenin Blanc, South Africa's most important white grape. This grape, native to France's Loire Valley, was established in South Africa at some point in the 17th century. Believed to have been brought over by either Dutch or French immigrants, it quickly became the most widely-planted grape in the country. It's had a rocky reputation since then, with periods in which it was seen as a simple, uninteresting workhorse grape used mainly for fortified wine. The tides, however, are turning, and the high quality of wines produced from old, bush-farmed vines has gained international recognition.

The Alheit's goal is always to capture the essence of the Western Cape in every wine. This means working with fruit sourced from old, once-forgotten vineyards, and making wine with as little manipulation or intervention as possible. Wines are fermented naturally, with no added yeast, and are bottled with no fining or filtration. Their Cartology should be enjoyed over the next five years at about 12 C.