A group gathered recently for the launch of the maiden 2007 vintage of the flagship 67/33 blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Called Alto MPHS, it reflects the initials of the four winemakers who have built the reputation of the dryland Stellenbosch red wine estate, set high on the Helderberg Mountain. Those present included Hendrik Malan, son of Alto winemaker Manie Malan whose father had planted exclusively red varietals on Alto as early as the 1920s, as well as Hendrik?s daughter Anita Scribante; Piet du Toit, who acquired the farm in 1959; his son, Hempies, the renowned Springbok rugby player, who took over in 1983; and current winemaker Schalk van der Westhuizen, who joined Alto in 2000.