The same wine was also recently honoured with a Grand D’Or at the 2012 Michelangelo International Wine Awards as well as with a gold medal at the 2012 International Wine & Spirit Competition in London. The wine was made by Schalk van der Westhuizen who has been with this Stellenbosch red wine estate, set high on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, since 2000. Under renowned viticulturist Eben Archer, a strong focus has since been placed on vine root development and these vineyards today produce fruit of exceptional balance. The dryland vineyards providing the grapes for this wine are planted in deep, decomposed granite and clay soils. They grow on a north-westerly slope some 100m to 200m above sea level and are cooled by afternoon maritime breezes blowing off False Bay thus lengthening the ripening period and preserving the complex flavours of the grapes. The grapes were harvested by hand and aged for 18 months in a combination of French and American oak. Van der Westhuizen says the wine brims with intense flavours of blackcurrants and prunes. “It’s full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and a fantastic tannic backbone.” Alto Shiraz 2010 is available in liquor outlets countrywide and retails for around R140 a bottle.