Colour: Deep Garnet with a crimson rim.
Bouquet: Fynbos and sour cherry dominate the nose with a touch of graphite.
Taste: Dark fruit notes such as prune and blueberry with hints of pine-needle. The palate is silky with firm tannins and a lengthy finish. Excellent drinkability and aging potential that will mature to further degrees of finesse and complexity.

2023

• Tim Atkin South Africa Report - Best value red wine of the year
• Mundus Vini Summer tasting - Silver
• Wine Mag - 90 points

2022

• Gilbert and Gaillard International Challenge – Double Gold
• Platters 4 star
• International Wine and Spirit Competition – 91 points
• Veritas – Gold
• Wine Mag – 92 points
• James Suckling – 91 points

2021

• Platters 4 star
• 90 points Tim Atkins South Africa report

2020

• Gilbert & Gaillard International Tasting Gold
• Vitis Vinifera Awards Gold
• Platters 4 star

2019

• Veritas Gold
• Winemag rating – 92 points

Food pairing: Perfect on its own or with roast chicken and grilled beef. This wine also pairs well with matured cheese such and Cheddar and Edam and is a lovely accompaniment to creamy pasta dishes like wild mushroom risotto or Alfredo

Alcohol: 14% by vol

Residual sugar: 2.7g/l

Total acidity: 5.8 g/l

pH: 3.6

Extract: 30.3g/l

Alto, situated on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain in the Stellenbosch district, dates back to 1693 when it was part of a much larger farm called Groenrivier (Green River), granted to a free burgher by Governor Simon van der Stel. In 1919 the owner of the farm, Hennie Malan, sold off half the land to his brother-in-law and set about planting vines on his remaining portion, focusing exclusively on red varieties. He named the farm Alto, a reference to its altitude (some slopes rise as high as 500m above sea level) and his striving for excellence. The cellar was built in 1920. Alto has 93 hectares under vines. The trellised vineyards cling to the high granite slopes, ideal for the cultivation of red wine varieties. Harvesting at Alto traditionally only starts at the end of February / beginning March due to the cooling influence of the southerly breezes during this time. This ensures gradual ripening of the grapes and contributes to the development of delicate flavour in the fruit.