This used to be the one wine from Alheit Vineyards that we didn’t include in our allocation request, because we felt it always had too much Muscat in the blend. It’s perfectly clear to me, and should be to anyone else, that Chris Alheit has taken heed of our important opinion and has since reduced the percentage of Muscat and the wine is all the better for it. It’s still pretty and perfumed, but not as ‘muscaty’ as it was previously, with a delicate nose of meadow flowers, apricot and grapefruit and a lively cocktail of stone-fruits on the palate. Right, must dash, we need to go and tell that Eric Kohler how much Merlot to pop in his Chateau Lafite. 13.5% alc. A blend of 36% Chardonnay, 28% Roussanne, 18% Chenin, 17% Verdelho and 1% Muscat. Drink now-2032.

Press reviews:

Neal Martin (Vinous): “The 2024 Hemelrand Vine Garden comes from Hemel en Aarde Ridge at 360m altitude. It has a gorgeous bouquet with lemon balm, orange zest and just peach skin, absolutely beautiful. The palate has exquisite balance, a little more weight than the Chenins, a touch of orange pith and lemongrass, with a touch of white pepper on the finish. Real tension throughout this white blend. This really gains harmony with aeration in the glass and manifests a little more saltiness that urges you back for more. Drink now-2042.” 94 points

Tim Atkin MW: “Vine Garden is the vineyard that surrounds Chris Alheit's cellar on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Always made as a blend, the resulting wine combines Roussanne, 28% Chardonnay,25% Chenin Blanc, 11% Verdelho and 4% Muscat in 2024. Aromas of ginger spice, rose petal and white pepper steer you into a palate of citrus, pear and lemon verbena and a racy finish. Drink now-2029.” 93 points

The Wine Advocate: “The Alheit Vineyards 2024 Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Hemelrand Vine Garden is a field-style blend of 28% Chardonnay, 32% Roussanne, 25% Chenin Blanc, 11% Verdelho and 4% Muscat à Petits Grains, grown at roughly 360 metres above sea level. Aromatically, the wine leans into white flowers and lifted perfumes, with freshness taking precedence over weight. Aware that acidity from this exposed site can verge on shrill, Chris Alheit chose to harvest at 13% potential alcohol, a calculated gamble that brings balance and flow to the palate. Fresh and precise, the wine gains appeal through the interplay between its buoyant acidity and its floral, slightly exotic, bouquet.” 93 points

Decanter (previous vintage): "This organically-farmed wine showcases Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, along with Roussanne, Verdelho and a touch of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, the vines planted in 2010 on a cool and breezy ridge. Aromas of lemon, beeswax, meadow grass and white flowers. Mouthcoating succulence balances unbridled acidity, with flavours of lemon drop, sage and candied ginger. Drink now-2037." 95 points

Jancis Robinson (previous vintage): “A slight body shock to go from the structural power of Huilkrans and Magnetic North to the lustrous golden shimmer and seduction of Hemelrand. The wine is so rich it almost tastes sweet (which, at 2.7 g/l of residual, it most certainly is not). It's a tango of sweet and sharp, bitter and spice. Honey and crab-apple jelly, kumquat marmalade and russet apples. A shifting sifting shimmer of golden-grass spices. A long, murmuring finish leaving the sense of fireflies in its wake. Drink now-2032.” 17.5 points