Star bright and pale-straw coloured with flashes of lime green towards the meniscus, this wine offers inviting aromas of creamy lemon and vanilla with just a hint of toast. The palate is full, well-balanced and elegant, with a well-defined body and refreshing acidity. This wine has great aging potential and will benefit from two to five years of cellar maturation.
Vintage depends on availability and can't be selected.
View all vintage fact sheets / tasting notes here.
Availability of vintages depends on current stock.
Legal restrictions limit the sale quantity to 180 bottles (30 cases) per customer.
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The wine labels on bottles from our Reserve range feature an illustration of Alvi’s Drift, the low-water bridge over the Breede River cutting through the family farm. Our patriarch, Albertus Viljoen “Oupa Alvi” van der Merwe, was instrumental in having this bridge built back in 1930.
Oupa Alvi’s son Bertie started wine production on the family farm and today Bertie’s son, Alvi’s Drift winemaker Alvi van der Merwe produces the winery’s award-winning South African wines, enjoyed by wine lovers around the globe.
Our Alvi’s Drift Reserve range is the culmination of our pursuit of excellence in producing outstanding wines of unrivalled complexity.
RESERVE RANGE
With an ideal Mediterranean microclimate, an abundance of soil diversity and water from the life-giving Breede River, the Alvi’s Drift vineyards are ideally positioned for producing remarkable South African wines of unique character and complexity.
Our Reserve range showcases the best of our harvest; a fusion of our trademark fresh, primary-fruit style – with just a hint of the luscious and opulent barrel-fermented style of our Albertus Viljoen Icon range.
Optimally ripe grapes, hand-picked in the cool early morning hours are whole-bunch pressed, after which wild yeast fermentation commences in tank. A portion of the juice completes fermentation in tank, while the balance completes fermentation in oak barrels.
This wine’s trademark, optimally ripe fresh fruit characters are showcased by the tank fermentation process, while barrel fermentation lends beautiful complexity. This wine will improve with cellar maturation of two to five years.
"As a die-hard Chardonnay fan, I have spent an inordinate amount of money (no regrets whatsoever) on this varietal. So I was somewhat sceptical when I saw how reasonably priced this wine is, especially being part of a reserve collection.I was pleasantly surprised at my first sip, but after allowing the wine to breathe a bit in the glass, I was smitten! The wine is elegant, not overly wooded, not overly buttery, just the perfect blend of fruit and sophisticated oak. I’ve even introduced my son, an avid red wine drinker, and he responded with similar surprise (the good kind)!I’m also delighted to be supporting a family business and hope to continue stocking up on this beautiful wine for as long as my pocket (and lifespan) last."
- Lindi -
