LOCK, STOCK AND WINE BARREL

Rewind to 2015 and you will see the world from a whole different perspective. The year seems quite tame and unassuming when compared with today, what with junk status and e-mail hacking. Maybe that’s the reason Alto Rouge 2015 – set to be launched next month – is such an easy-drinking wine.

Alto Rouge has long been an important and, dare I say it, a vital staple in any entertainer’s arsenal. It keeps well in the cellar, is affordable and almost always ready to be opened.

Alto winemaker Bertho van der Westhuizen gives the best insight into the estate’s red blend, saying that its ability to age for a few years makes it an exciting wine to work with – especially considering you can pick up a bottle of Alto Rouge 2014 and 2013 for under R100.

A lot of the excitement also has to do with each Rouge being different, with alternating blends. The 2013 blend was 28% shiraz, 28% cabernet franc, 28 % cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot and 4% petit verdot, while the 2014 blend is 30% cabernet franc, 28% cabernet sauvignon, 26% shiraz and 16% merlot. So, you should buy at least a couple of bottles of each, one to keep and one to drink now.

The Alto Rouge 2015 is blended from one of South Africa’s best vintages in recent years.

It holds special significance for Van der Westhuizen, who took over from his father, Schalk, on May 1 of that year. “My father finished fermentation of the harvest and together we put the wines in barrels.

“My job was easy considering how good the harvest was.”

The wine holds a special place for the team at the farm. “Every vintage of the Alto Rouge reflects what took place during harvest in the Helderberg in a particular year,” says Bertho. “The wine is essentially a blend of all varieties we produce at Alto, so while we try to keep the style consistent year to year, slight variations are characteristics of that harvest.”

In essence, every vintage of Alto is a little taste of history – making it the smart choice when choosing a wine.