2022 Alheit Vineyards Monument Semillon

99 pts
Alheit |Franschhoek |Semillon
A waxy and complex tribute to a 1936 Franschhoek planting, with only a handful of bottles available from a tiny global allocation.

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Description

The Monument is a tribute to the historic La Colline vineyard in Franschhoek, planted in 1936. This is a field blend of Sémillon and Sémillon Gris, representing a piece of Cape history that Chris and Suzaan Alheit are determined to preserve. It is a wine of incredible weight and complexity, and arguably the most elusive bottle in their entire stable.

The fruit is whole-cluster pressed and fermented in old barrels before aging on the lees for 18 months. No fining is used, preserving the natural breadth of this ancient site. Only 2,600 bottles were produced for the world in 2022, making it a true rarity.

Aromatically, it is exotic and savory, showing spicy peach and waxy melon. The palate is impressively weighty, offering a broad, creamy texture that finishes with a rocky, mineral edge. This is a rare, world-class Sémillon. Given the tiny production, it won't be on our shelves for long.

99 points
""The best Semillon site in South Africa" is how Chris Alheit describes Anton and Koos Roux's 1936 La Colline vineyard"
- Tim Atkin MW (Vinous)

Tim Atkin MW

Tim Atkin MW

99 Points

The best Semillon site in South Africa" is how Chris Alheit describes Anton and Koos Roux's 1936 La Colline vineyard, which "performed very well in a tough vintage". Leesy, herbal, layered, textured and dense, this has palate-coating intensity and complexity, aniseed, crème fraiche and grapefruit pith flavours and a hint of stone fruit sweetness.

Monument Sémillon is a single vineyard wine from a remarkable old vineyard in Franschhoek. This wine represents a bygone agricultural era in the Cape. It showcases great old Cape DNA in a way that few other wines can. These grand old vines are farmed by father and son, Anton and Koos Roux on their family farm, La Colline. They are direct descendants of the Huguenot refugee Paul Roux who arrived in the Cape in 1688. Anton's grandfather planted the vineyard in 1936 on an elevated South facing slope overlooking the valley below. The parcel is situated between 310 m and 350 m above sea-level. The soil is mostly granitic with plenty of quartz.

There are a few different shades of Sémillon growing together here: from emerald green to amber, rose and mauve. These genetic oddities are typical of the Cape's older Sémillon vineyards, and seem to be extinct in the rest of the world. This affords us the chance to make something unique to the Cape.

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Semillon
Country South Africa
Region Franschhoek
Reviewed By Tim Atkin MW
Critic Score 99
Size 750ml
Vintage 2022
Closure Cork

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