Cartology 2023 by Alheit Vineyards is a beautifully balanced and medium-bodied white wine, crafted from 94% Chenin Blanc and 6% Sémillon. Sourced from old, dry-farmed bushvines, it showcases vibrant aromas of lemon, almonds, and citrus blossoms. The palate is fresh and mineral-driven, with delicate spices and a savory, food-friendly finish. Aged in cement eggs, old foudre, and barrels, this wine will benefit from another year in the bottle, with excellent aging potential through 2035.

The Wine Advocate | RP 95
Published: Feb 27, 2026
Drink: 2026-2038

The Alheit Vineyards 2024 Cartology Bush Vines blends Chenin Blanc with 8% Semillon, the Chenin drawn from nine plots across the Cape, ranging from 40 to 60 years old, and the Semillon from vines nearing 90 years of age. Conceived as a study in mapping and terroir, Cartology assembles diverse soils and climates into a singular expression of the Western Cape. The 2024 vintage shows linear drive, salinity and freshness alongside textural richness and layered depth. Complex yet composed, it captures what Alheit describes simply as a white wine of the Western Cape. By uniting sites shaped by ocean winds, ancient soils and old vines, the wine reflects a distinctly South African identity grounded in both heritage and precision. This is a thrilling wine made in a larger production (with 22,510 bottles, plus 240 magnums made) at an affordable price.

Vintner Chris Alheit embodies the irreverent charm and spirited independence many imagine when first turning their attention to the wines of South Africa. Though meeting him only once at Cape Wine 2025, his wines have already provided me (speaking with enormous humility as someone covering this beautiful country for only two years) with a benchmark for Chenin Blanc.

Chris Alheit studied at Stellenbosch University before gaining international winemaking experience in Europe. He and his wife, Suzaan, founded Alheit Vineyards in 2010 with a clear focus: to champion old-vine Chenin Blanc and articulate the Cape’s historic vineyard sites through minimal intervention winemaking. Early on, they worked exclusively with purchased fruit, building long-term relationships with growers farming old bush vines across Swartland, Stellenbosch and other Western Cape regions. In 2019, they purchased their own Swartland farm, making it the estate’s first owned vineyard in a landscape where old vines are increasingly scarce and land access is difficult.

The winemaking philosophy centers on restraint, site transparency and age-worthy structure. Fermentations are typically natural, aging takes place in older barrels or large-format vessels and oak influence is always subtle. The flagship Cartology, first released in 2011, is a reference point for Western Cape Chenin Blanc, blending multiple heritage parcels into a singular regional voice. In the Alheit Vineyards portfolio, colored capsules indicate blends drawn from more than one region, while black capsules designate single-vineyard wines

Alheitvineyards.co.za

Cartology is a vinous exploration of Cape heritage. It's intended to be a picture of the Cape seen through the lens of her old vineyards in a given vintage. The cuvee is composed of rare and extraordinary parcels of mature dryland bushvines, of heritage grapes, namely Chenin Blanc and Semillon. These grapes have been planted in the Cape for centuries.
Cartology has become our staple offering. It serves as a poster child for our project, and also seems to have become a flag bearer for Cape heritage wine in general.

Vineyards:
As a rule, the Cartology parcels are dry farmed bushvines, with a minimum age of 30 years, although most are between 40 and 50 years old. Average yields for these parcels is around 3 tons/Ha or around 20hl/Ha.
Cartology is 90% Chenin blanc and 10% Semillon. The Chenin comes from our parcels in the Skurfberg, Piekenierskloof, Perdeberg, Bottelary, False Bay and Tygerberg. The Semillon comes from the old La Colline block in Franschhoek.

Tasting Notes:
Weight and power are not the same thing. Here's a wine with a moderate palate weight that has both intensity and power. The nose is wonderful: kumquat citrus, sweet oatmeal and honey, maybe elderflower. The palate is fine and bright, reminiscent of salty/sweet candied lemon, great length.

The Name: Cartology means the study of maps or charts. It could not be more perfect name for this wine. Not only because of our endeavours to search for and find these special old vineyards, but also because the wine itself can be seen as a vinous map or tapestry of the Cape.

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 13.1%
Closure: DIAM Cork
Harvest: 2024
Oak: No new oak; fermented and matured in cement eggs, old foudres and old barrels
Varietals: 94% Chenin Blanc, 6% Sémillon
Skin Contact: Whole-bunch pressed with minimal settling
Winemaker: Chris Alheit
Region: Western Cape, South Africa

Serving Temperature: 10–12°C
Decanting: Not required; allow 15–20 minutes in the glass
Food Pairing: Shellfish, grilled fish, roast poultry, goat cheese, creamy seafood dishes and mildly spicy Asian cuisine