South African cult heroes Sadie Family and Alheit Vineyards

Eben Sadie is embarking on a new path that is making waves around the world. The Sadie Family team work with roughly 30-hectares of vines, one-third of which are estate, with the other vines farmed entirely under their control. This is a considerable undertaking when you consider, at their furthest point, the vineyards lie some 250 miles apart and are spread across 53 separate parcels. Then consider that everything is dry grown and organically farmed and that each parcel, having different geologies, aspects and often grape varieties, will require different management. These vines lie mostly on the high altitude slopes of Swartland’s Atlantic-influenced mountains, one hour north of Cape Town on the Western Cape.

Alheit Vineyards is the family project started in 2010 by husband and wife team Chris and Suzaan Alheit. They shot to prominence a decade ago with the maiden release of Cartology, their only wine at the time. Since then it has become one of the defining wines of the new generation of South African wine. Alheit’s wines typify contemporary winemaking in the Cape: terroir-driven, texturally-satisfying, with a low-tech high-fidelity viticultural approach. They capture a sense of place, of identity and of heritage, representing some of the greatest wines being produced on the Cape at the moment.

Each of these are made in tiny quantities, and stocks are extremely limited.