Keermont Cabernet Sauvignon grows in our Cottage Lane vineyard on the mid-slopes of the Helderberg Mountain. This vineyard is situated on the crest of a ridge at 320m above sea level. It has aspects ranging from East through North to West and is very exposed, resulting in small, tight bunches and low yields. This has allowed us to make a relatively fine-grained Cabernet, while the clay soils translate to a wine with power, tension and fresh acidity. We blend in a couple of barrels of other varieties to add to the complexity of flavour and tannin structure.

All grapes used in producing our wines are grown on Keermont Vineyards. Most of the vineyard parcels grow on deep red clay rich soil derived from sandstone and granite. The blocks are surrounded by indigenous fynbos vegetation. Our vineyards are planted on steep mid-slopes high up in the valley between the Stellenbosch and Helderberg Mountain ranges, between 250 and 400 meters above sea level.

Small batches of grapes are specifically selected according to ripeness, harvested by hand and vinified separately. This process is carried out gently and naturally in open top fermenters using traditional methods only. This wine spent 21 months maturing in seasoned French oak barriques before being bottled by hand on 14 December 2022. The Keermont Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 was bottle aged in our cellar for 20 months before release to ensure integration and improved rinkability. 14 286 bottles and 100 magnums were produced.

 

TASTING NOTE

Dark ruby red in colour, this vintage has a vibrant bouquet of ripe red berry fruit, cassis, dustiness, and a hint of fresh herbs. The palate is fine and structured. The tannins are firm, while the natural acidity keeps the ripe fruit in check. Savoury notes of cocoa and cloves add character to the bright red strawberry and mulberry flavours which linger into a long-focussed finish. Best drinking:2026-2036.

 

VINTAGE REPORT

2021 will be remembered as an excellent vintage at Keermont. Weather conditions were very favourable. It began with a wet winter and spring, followed by a very moderate growing season and a late cool and dry harvest. These factors, combined with a lot of hard work in the vineyards, led to the development of a healthy, evenly ripened crop. Although our yields per hectare were not particularly high, the quality was excellent. The grapes came in looking and tasting great with very good acidity and sugar levels. Picking and processing ran smoothly thanks to lessons learned in previous vintages, as well as a massive effort from the picking and winery teams. The Keermont winery crushed a total of 80 tons, all sourced from our own vineyards.

 

BLOCKS

BLOCK
VARIETY
PLANTED
YIELD
%
Cottage Lane
Cabernet Sauvignon
2006
 6.0 ton/Ha
95%
Pondok Rug 3
Cabernet Franc
2007
2.7 ton/Ha
5%

 

ANALYSIS

Alc: 14.5 %
pH: 3.55
TA: 5.3g/L
RS: 1.8 g/L
TSO2: 60 mg/L
VA: 0.78 g/L

 

ACCOLADES

CAB 21: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
CAB 21: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
CAB 20: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
CAB 20: 91 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
CAB 19: 91 pts WINE SPECTATOR
CAB 19: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
CAB 19: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
CAB 18: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
CAB 18: 92 pts CHRISTIAN EEDES (Wine Magazine)
CAB 18: 91 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
CAB 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
CAB 17: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
CAB 17: 91 pts CHRISTIAN EEDES (Wine Magazine)
CAB 17: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
CAB 16: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
CAB 16: 95 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
CAB 16: 92 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
CAB 15: 93 pts WINE ENTHUSIAST
CAB 15: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
CAB 15: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE
CAB 15: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN
CAB 14: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
CAB 14: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)