The Latin name for Alto is a reference to the altitudes of our vineyards and the estate’s own aspirations of excellence. Since 1920, only five winemakers have crafted our portfolio of internationally acclaimed red wines. Our history dates back to 1693, when it formed part of the larger Groenrivier farm granted by Simon van der Stel. Wine only became the farm’s focus in the 1920s when the Malan family began to transform the untamed land into vineyards.
Heritage and tradition, married with evolution and innovation. These are the hallmarks of Alto Wine Estate in the heart of the world-famous Stellenbosch winelands. Stretched out along the steep northern slopes of the Helderberg, for close to a century Alto has built a reputation as one of the most respected red wine producers in South Africa.
With the range of wines made entirely from grapes grown on the estate, the foundation for Alto’s success over the years has always been its remarkable terroir. Alto is situated in the heart of the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’, and the farm’s position on the warmer northern slopes of the Helderberg make it ideally suited to red wine production. And yet the diversity of the farm allows for enormous complexity in the vineyards.
