Region and Vineyards
Magnetic North comes from Citrusdal Mountain, also known as Skurfberg, on the wild north-western edge of the Cape, where elevation and isolation create a distinctive setting for old-vine Chenin Blanc. The 2024 is sourced from Arbeidseind farm, from two dry-farmed, ungrafted parcels on a high mountain ridge at 520 metres. Their gentle south-east-facing slope and very red, iron-rich sandy soil over red clay give the wine its particular combination of brightness, depth and savoury mineral resonance.
The vines were planted in 1981 and 1984, together covering about 2.8 hectares and usually yielding only 1 to 2 tonnes per hectare. These are revered bushvines, prized for natural concentration rather than volume. In the glass, that site translates into grapefruit, rooibos, earth and salinity, with old-vine precision and a soaring, tensile shape that makes Magnetic North feel both powerful and finely etched.
Winemaking
Magnetic North 2024 is 100% Chenin Blanc, made from hand-sorted fruit that was whole-bunch pressed to preserve purity, structure and natural vineyard detail. The juice was only very lightly settled, remaining deliberately cloudy, and no additions were made to the raw juice. Fermentation was spontaneous, driven by wild yeasts in one foudre and one cement egg, lasting about one month.
The wine spent around 12 months on lees before resting for a further five months in tank on fine lees, with no fining before bottling. This quiet, low-intervention élevage builds texture without imposing obvious oak, allowing citrus, fennel, tea-like savouriness and salinity to lead. The 2024 was bottled in May 2025, with 13.65% alcohol, 1.5 g/L residual sugar, 6.04 g/L total acidity and a pH of 3.26.
Tasting Notes
- Color: Bright straw-gold with a polished sheen, suggesting concentration, freshness and fine lees-derived texture.
- Aroma: Grapefruit, lemon rind, pomelo, pear and quince rise first, followed by rooibos, sliced fennel, smoked tea, lemongrass, saline earth and a subtle mineral echo.
- Palate: Medium to full-bodied, intense and precise, with citrus pith, Anjou pear, quince, grapefruit jelly and a savoury phenolic grip, carried by bright acidity and a remarkably long, salty, reverberating finish.
Did you know?
The name Magnetic North comes from the vineyard's position a few degrees off true north from the Alheit cellar, roughly on magnetic north. The iron in the soil, itself a magnetic element, adds a beautifully apt layer of meaning, while the fact that magnetic north is always moving gives the wine a sense of distance and pursuit.
Wine Pairing Ideas
- Grilled turbot with fennel and lemon: The wine's grapefruit, fennel and saline notes echo the dish, while its structure supports the fish's richness.
- Roast chicken with preserved lemon: Citrus brightness and savoury depth lift the roasted skin, while the wine's texture matches the tenderness of the meat.
- Seared scallops with brown butter: Magnetic North has enough concentration for the butter, while its acidity and salty finish sharpen the scallops' sweetness.
- Pork tenderloin with apple and sage: Chenin's orchard-fruit core and herbal detail work beautifully with apple, sage and gently caramelised pork.
