Alto Wine Estate, the iconic Stellenbosch red wine farm situated in the renowned “Golden Triangle” on the slopes of the Helderberg had a successful 2025 harvest with the grapes showing immense flavour concentration and the promise of another vintage of outstanding quality.
The 2025 harvest was both larger and slightly later than average, marked by excellent tannin ripeness. Weather conditions throughout the season were near perfect for premium red wine production. Early summer brought mild temperatures with no significant heatwaves, while cool evening conditions contributed to optimal acidity balance. A few warmer days at the beginning of March further assisted in ripening the final bunches before they entered the cellar.
We typically start harvesting around the 13th February with grapes for our Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé and ends around the 20th March. This year, the final grapes were brought in on the 28th March, making the overall harvest slightly later than 2024.
Our early ripening varieties were harvest 8-10 days later than usual, while mid-ripening cultivars came in 3-6 days later. The increased yield in 2025 contributed to this delay, but we remain aligned with our long-term harvesting averages.
With the larger yield of 2025, our grapes had more hang time to reach optimum ripeness, the slower ripening has enhanced the elegance of fruit and the early signs are looking very promising. Winemaker Bertho van der Westhuizen shared his enthusiasm:
“This year’s harvest benefited greatly from young vines entering production. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the quality these young blocks are already delivering. We're excited about their potential in the years to come.”
Cabernet Franc, a key component in our blends, was among the first varieties harvested from these young blocks. Bertho notes:
“Despite an early ripening, the quality of our young Cabernet Franc was remarkable. Looking ahead to 2026, we anticipate bringing 12 hectares of new, virus-free Cabernet Franc into production – a development we are extremely excited about.”
The 2025 harvest marked a significant milestone at Alto Wine Estate as we celebrated the 60th harvest of our most celebrated variety – Cabernet Sauvignon. Our maiden vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon dates back to 1965, making it the oldest single varietal wine in our portfolio and a cornerstone of our legacy.
A highlight of this year’s harvest was brining in the grapes from our highest block of Cabernet Sauvignon, situated between 450 and 500 metres above sea level. This young block, planted in 2018 is only about 4.5 hectares and is one of out premier sites for Cabernet Sauvignon. Its elevated position and close proximity to False Bay provide ideal growing conditions, contributing to exceptional fruit quality. The majority of grapes from this high-altitude parcel are selected for our award-winning Single Varietal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, continuing our tradition of excellence and reinforcing Alto’s reputation as a benchmark producer of South African Cabernet.
In the cellar, the young wines are showing both power and finesse, best described as “an iron first in a velvet glove.” Our Shiraz is especially promising, showing black pepper aromas, notes of lavender and abundant red fruits. Whole bunch fermentation from younger blocks brings a fresh vibrancy, while older Shiraz vines contribute depth and structure, laying a solid foundation for the backbone of our blends in the next 2 to 3 years.
Our flagship limited-release wine, M.P.H.S., is only made in exceptional years from the very best parcels of the harvest. While it’s too early for definitive conclusions, the initial signs from our Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc destined for this wine are very encouraging. Bertho is confident that 2025 may prove to be a standout vintage worthy of an M.P.H.S. release.