Not quite the last vintage of this great wine, but almost. Chris did make a few bottles from whatever juice he could squeeze from the pitiful harvest in 2018, the third drought year in a row, but it’s only for home consumption and for his children. So this is it, as far as the worldwide market goes, the end of the line. We only have a few bottles, so please understand that we can’t sell it on its own, we would like you to include this collector’s item in your basket along with some other wines.

Press review:

Jancis Robinson MW: "Made from two extreme (rented) hilltop sites in Stellenbosch. One at 400 m planted in 1978 and one at 450 m planted in 1971, both shallow stony shale soil (giving a higher pH than the granite-based soils). Due mainly to the drought, these blocks have reached the end of their lives. This will be the final release of Radio Lazarus, which was Alheit’s first single-vineyard project. Hand hoed. 1.5 ton/ha maximum yield and produced just one 50-litre demijohn in 2018. Fermented in 650-litre clay pots made from clay from the bottom of the hills by a potter called Yogi. They are stoneware not terracotta, which means they are fired at 1,200+ degrees (terracotta would melt). So they ‘breathe’ much more slowly. All Chenin from two parcels. Gently floral at first but also mineral and stony – an unusual combination. Pear fruit and herbal notes. Chablis-like on the nose, salty on the palate. Terrific acidity, mouth-watering in the extreme. Such incredible tension and linear purity. Goes on and on and on. A relatively severe wine but outstanding." 18 points

Tim Atkin MW: "Get out your handkerchiefs, as they say in France, because 2017 may be the last ever vintage of this incredible wine after the extreme drought of 2018. If so, it’s a good note on which to end. Dense, compact and super concentrated, with stony grip and the acidity of a late-picked site, complemented by aromas from the wild fynbos that surrounds it. RIP, Radio Lazarus. Drink 2020-2029" 96 points

COLLECTOR’S ITEM. EXTREMELY LIMITED. ONLY 1 BOTTLE PER CUSTOMER. NOT AVAILABLE AS A SINGLE BOTTLE ORDER ON ITS OWN. MUST BE PART OF AN ORDER THAT MEETS OUR MINIMUM ORDER OF 6 BOTTLES. UK MAINLAND ONLY.