2023 Alheit Vineyards 'Nautical Dawn' Chenin Blanc 100Points

Nautical Dawn 2023 This was a wet vintage for the False Bay area. I was very selective about what we could bottle from this vineyard to keep the high standard, especially after a long string of great vintages from this site. Because of this we have about half the normal volume, but the wine is lovely. The nose shows the classic tangy yellow fruit and soft spices, the palate is full and powerful with typical acidic drive and saline tension. The finish is long and ornate. Winemaking and Maturation The grapes were hand sorted and whole bunch pressed. The juice is very lightly settled (we like very cloudy raw juice) with no additions to the raw juice, wild fermentation in took place in old barrels of various sizes. Fermentation lasted for about two months. The wine was kept on lees for around 12 months, then rested in tank on fine lees without fining for a further five months prior to bottling. Very simple, careful winemaking. Vintage Notes The Name: Nautical Dawn is the phase of dawn that occurs between astrological dawn and civilian dawn. It’s a mysterious time of day – dark enough to see the stars for navigation, light enough to hoist a sail. We wanted a name that would take you close to the sea and facing East.