Alvi’s Drift

Alvi’s Drift wines are produced at Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar in the pristine Breede River Valley in the Western Cape of South Africa. The cellar and farm are owned and operated by the 2nd and 3rd generations of the van der Merwe family.

Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar takes its name from the low water bridge crossing the Breede River on the family farm which is known as Alfalfa. Alfalfa is a 7,000-hectare property owned by the van der Merwe family with 410 ha dedicated to 19 grape varieties. Chenin Blanc and Pinotage are specialties.

Built by Albertus Viljoen (Alvi) van der Merwe (the 1st) in 1928 to allow access to the family property, the drift became known locally as Alvi’s Drift. The property includes a game reserve with eland, springbok, ostriches, and gemsbok among others.

Signature Range

Signature Chardonnay

One of the top Chardonnays in South Africa. A super refreshing palate, well-rounded and elegant with crisp acidity balanced with the ripe fruit. Lingering and ends off with a fresh mouthfeel and hints of lemon.

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Signature Range

Chenin Blanc

A very drinkable white wine shows the uniquely South African terroir of the Breede River Valley beautifully. The acid is well integrated and balanced resulting in a palate that shows great length and fullness for an unwooded wine. Primary fruit flavors of passion fruit and ripe guavas dominate the nose and palate. The resulting wine shows a rare combination of intense aromas, complexity, and length.

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Signature Range

Sauvignon Blanc

ADS Sauvignon Blanc has an attractive pale straw color. The wine is light and fruity with aromas of passionfruit and asparagus. The palate is nicely balanced with a full body with a fresh zingy finish.

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Signature Range

Viognier

The ADS Viognier wine has a lovely pale straw color. The nose is typical of Viognier but in an elegant and restrained way. The aromas are dominated by apricots and white peaches. The wine is soft, ripe, and round with a lovely viscous texture.

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Signature Range

Shiraz

The ADS Shiraz has a medium color with an attractive garnet hue. The wine is elegant and nicely balanced. The aromas on the nose are a subtle blend of white pepper and red berries with a hint of vanilla and chocolate. The flavors are well integrated with nutty oak characters. The palate is balanced with surprising length and fullness. The oak, fruit, and tannins are beautifully integrated, giving the wine a subtlety and elegance rarely found in New World wines.

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221 Range

Chenin Blanc

Alvi’s Drift 221 Chenin Blanc has a brilliant pale straw color. The nose reflects a delightful nectarine and peach fruit character with hints of quince, apple blossom, and vanilla. This is an elegant wine, well rounded and creamy on the palate with a long, lingering finish of peach and a hint of honeycomb.

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221 Range

Special Cuvee

221 Special Cuvée is a fruit-driven shiraz-based blend. A multi-layered aromatic wine reflects a rich, ripe fruit character of plums and red cherries with hints of spice and licorice. The juicy red berry entry and velvety soft tannins create a beautifully balanced wine delivering an opulent mouthfeel with a long red fruit finish.

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Reserve Range

Reserve CVC

It is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay. The AD CVC has a lovely pale lemon/straw color. The nose showed lifted peach and apricot characters. A lovely blend of roasted nuts with a hint of butterscotch and ripe melons. The palate is balanced to perfection with oak, fruit, and acidity all adding to the wine’s length and fullness.

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Reserve Range

Reserve Drift Fusion

It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage. AD Drift Fusion is a classic cape blend is full of ripe blackberries, mulberries and plums, integrated with vanilla and cashew nut characters through careful oak maturation. A perfect partner for red meat, game, duck and mature cheeses. This wine will continue to improve with age for 5-8 years.

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Reserve Range

Reserve Chardonnay

The reserve tier showcases the best of Alvi’s Drift harvest from selected vineyards destined for these wines. The grapes are handpicked, crushed, and fermented in French oak barrels. The palate is elegant yet has a defined body with excellent acidity; there is a gentle creamy texture on the palate which is backed by the refreshing lemon fruit character leading seamlessly to velvety buttery notes with lingering fruit and a clean lemony finish.

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Brut Nature

Brut Nature and Zero Dosage are terms used to denote the very driest style of Champagne, with less than three grams of residual sugar per liter of wine. They are often referred to as being non-dosé or ‘Brut Zero’. Champagne Brut Nature wines are naturally high in acidity and low in sugar, making for a refreshing, searingly dry mouthful.

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Albertus Viljoen Bismarck Red Blend

The wine was crushed into traditional open fermenters for fermentation. The juice was bled from the skins to improve the color and total phenol levels in the wine. Once fermentation commenced the cap was punched through by hand up to 8 times per day.

After fermentation, the wine was matured for 22 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels of which a third were new. Albertus Viljoen Red Blend is Alvi’s Drift flagship red blend.

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Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc

Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc is the best of the best of the Chenin Blanc made at Alvi’s Drift. Hand-selected in the vineyard and whole bunch pressed, the wine is fermented in barrel with a selection of wild and cultured yeasts. After fermentation, the wine is stored on the yeast lees until it is prepared for bottling. The wine has a light and brilliant straw color which catches and reflects light like cut crystal. The complex nose is dominated by nectarine and peach fruit characters and integrated toasty oak characters.

The palate is rich and creamy with a viscous mouthfeel. Aromas of roasted cashew nuts and vanilla pods tease the senses. Soft, full and round but elegant, the palate lingers for an eternity. Because the Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc is made in small qualities, this is a wine that only a few people will ever taste.

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