Magnetic North is a single origin Chenin Blanc wine. Since its maiden vintage in 2013, this wine has become a perennial star in our line-up. Every vintage it manages to combine power and finesse in a way very few other Chenin vineyards from anywhere (not just the Cape) are able to do.

The Name

The vineyard lies a few degrees off true north from our cellar, roughly on magnetic North. The name implies distance and exploration. It implies a true course of action or movement. It implies an attractive force causing us to drive miles and miles for these vines. There is plenty of iron in the soil, which is a magnetic element, so that fit nicely too. In physical reality, Magnetic North is always moving, it never remains in the same place, so there is the added implication of a mysterious unattainable target.

Vineyards

Magnetic North is made from two dry farmed ungrafted (ownrooted) parcels growing on a high mountainous ridge at 520 meters above sea-level on very red iron rich sandy soil over red clay. The two parcels are quite close together on a gentle south-east facing slope. One is planted in 1984, the other in 1981. Together they comprise about 2.8Ha. Usually, they yield between 1 and 2 tons per Ha. I personally consider this to be one of the absolute best Chenin vineyards in the Cape.

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 both one foudre and one cement egg. Fermentation lasted 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 five months prior to bottling. Very simple, careful winemaking.

Vintage Notes

The nose shows grapefruit, Rooibos, plus something earthy and saline. The nose echoes in a way that other wines don’t. The palate reverberates in a way that other wines don’t. It moves over that palate in a way that other wines don’t. That’s all I can say. This is one of the best wines I’ve ever been responsible for. No jokes.

Technical Details

Alc: 13.65% – RS: 1.5g/l – TA: 6.04g/l – pH: 3.26

Wine of Origin: Citrusdal Mountain (aka Skurfberg), Arbeidseind farm

Grower: Basie and Christiaan van Lil

Varieties: 100% Chenin blanc (bushvines)

Bottling date: May 2025

Production: 3654 bottles and 120 magnums

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Tim Atkin MV: 100 points

“It takes a lot for me to give a wine 100 points. It must be something that makes me think, beguiles my palate and leaves me with a sense of wonder and longing. The 2024 Magnetic North does just that. A wonderful tribute to the memory of Basie van Lill, who farmed this parcel for years, it’s a stunning wine of great intensity, beauty and profundity, made by a winemaker who is reaching for the stars. Sappy, savoury and ludicrously long on the palate, it has restrained power, salty intensity and flavours of quinine, quince and grapefruit. Its finish echoes like a reverberation across a wide canyon. Drink 2028-40”

Data Sheet:

https://alheitvineyards.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Magnetic-North-2024-Factsheet.pdf