=====================

If you’ve been to a few wine tastings lately, you’ve probably heard “native ferment” or “spontaneous ferment” tossed around with some raised eyebrows. If you know what it means—kudos to you. If not, it’s simply wine made without store-bought yeast—just the wild stuff that lives on the grapes and in the air. It’s how wine was made for thousands of years, and lately, it’s making a comeback for good reason: more complexity and a deeper connection to the vineyard’s terroir.

Enter Chris Alheit, the mastermind behind the HereAfter Here Chenin Blanc. He’s crafted a “microbe-neutral” cellar to ensure that every drop of this wine ferments with nothing but the native yeasts from the vineyard. Intrigued? Stick around to learn how it all comes together in your glass.

👃🏼 The nose opens with chalk, dust, and honey, followed by herbal bush tea and green winter melon. There’s also a touch of frangipane and orange barley candy, creating a complex and inviting aroma.

👄 The Alheit HereAfter Here 2022 Chenin Blanc is lush and broad, with peach and honey upfront, followed by green winter melon. Then, the wine takes a sharp turn with a burst of orange pith and grapefruit bitterness, adding a delightful contrast. It evolves beautifully, with juicy citrus notes emerging and leaving the mouth watering.