Professionele reviews
Winespectator (95)
This expansive white evokes citrus oil and salted butter, with hints of gingerbread and melon, followed by a wave of honeysuckle, macadamia nut and orange blossom honey. Texturally fascinating, this shows both a gentle caress of silk and a subtle grip that fills the palate. The purity shines through on the finish, with great length and complexity.
Jancis Robinson (17)
Single vineyard at 310–350 m elevation, planted in 1936 with Sémillon and a proportion of Sémillon Gris, with 10–15% Sémillon Gris in the wine.
Pale gold. Nutty almond oak notes, with brown spices (Sémillon Gris?). Some reductive tones too. Ripe lemon and lemon curd. Full-bodied, with a rich but distinctly saline and dusty, savoury palate. Salinity supports its freshness. Long, fine and youthful. (TJ)
Vinous (93)
The 2018 La Colline is 100% Sémillon from Franschhoek. It demands some time to coalesce on the nose, eventually offering tangerine, beeswax, lanolin and light walnut aromas that achieve wonderful definition. The palate is well balanced with a waxy-textured opening. Flecks of white chocolate and almond infuse the honeyed fruit on the caressing finish. Lovely, but this is not quite as intellectual as some of Alheit’s Chenin Blancs.
Tim Atkin (96)
Decanter (96)
In the interplanted La Colline vineyard, the majority of Semillon grapes are gold-skinned, but there are also green, pink and gris colours too. Planted in 1936, it is farmed today by Anton Roux, and since 2015 winemaker Chris Alheit has harvested the grapes together, before whole bunch pressing. The 2018 (with 12% Semillon Gris) has a bit more power than its predecessors; Chris says this is because 20% of the crop comes from the shallow soils at the vineyard’s highest point. Aromas of white citrus, hay and ginger blossom, before a more savoury bay leaf edge and the sweetness of orange peel. Deeply concentrated on the palate, the generous mouthfeel displays orange, white peach and apples. The power is reigned in by energetic acidity and the waxy finish is long and complex
