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Alheit Vineyards Fire by Night 2023

R616.00

“Fire by Night is a single origin Chenin Blanc wine grown on our own Paardeberg property called Nuwedam. The Paardeberg holds a mythical place in our hearts. It is both ground zero for the quality revolution that’s sweeping the Cape, and home base for some of our country’s wine heroes. Previously under-valued, the Paardeberg sports an embarrassment of riches: pure decomposed granite soil and an abundance of dry-farmed old bushvines.

Fire by Night is a name of personal significance to us, honouring the Lord who led His people out of Egypt in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. The name implies guidance and a dual reverence, both for the place and the One who made it.” – Chris Alheit

This vintage really captures the beauty of the Paardeberg: clean air, mountain herbs, tight and pithy, sprung with coiled up energy, spring water purity, an impression finely etched in granite. The nose shows some lovely flinty reduction, green citrus, and thatch. The palate is high energy, high fidelity, pure and racy. The finish is bracing and long.

ANALYSIS: ALC 12.5% | RS 1.7 g/l | TA 5.85 g/l | pH 3.31

12 in stock

Description

Situated on a high ridge (300-350 m above sea-level) in the heart of the Paardeberg, Nuwedam is home to 20 Ha of mature dry farmed bushvine Chenin Blanc. The soil is pure decomposed granite, yielding wines of clarity and focus. Our vineyards were planted between 1972 and 1985 on various slopes, some facing east, some west, some north. This gives us a palette of options to work with to make our best possible wine from the property each vintage. These vines are our pride and joy. Their roots go deep, grabbing life out of the granite, humming their secret tune, calling you near.

The grapes were hand-sorted and wholebunch pressed. The juice is very lightly settled (we like very cloudy raw juice) with no additions to the raw juice, wild fermentation in cement eggs, foudres, and old barrels of various sizes. Fermentation lasted for about one month. The wine was kept on lees for around 12 months, then rested in tank on fine lees without fining for a further six months prior to bottling. Very simple, careful winemaking.

Additional Information
Producer

Alheit Vineyards

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