Keermont Merlot 2021

Our two Merlot vineyards are High Road with heavier clay and more rocky soils (altitude 330m) and Homestead with lighter loamy soil (altitude 260m). The wines from High Road are generally more dense and concentrated and from Homestead slightly lighter and more elegant. In 2021, the yields on High Road Merlot were very low, so it only makes up 15% of this year’s blend.

Small batches of grapes are specifically selected according to ripeness, harvested by hand and vinified separately. This process is carried out gently with minimal intervention in open top fermenters using traditional methods only. This wine spent 20 months maturing in seasoned French oak barrels before being bottled by hand without fining and only light filtration on 25 November 2022. A total of 10 779 bottles and 100 magnums were produced.

TASTING NOTE

The Keermont Merlot 2021 has a vibrant venetian red colour. Enticing spicy red fruit on the nose with hints of cinnamon, dried herbs, dust and mixed berries. Classical elegant, fruitful palate with dark plums, cherries and vanilla notes. Fine tannins and fresh acidity hold the wine into a long savoury finish. Best drinking: 2024-2035.

VINTAGE REPORT

2021 will be remembered as an excellent vintage at Keermont. Weather conditions were very favourable beginning with a good wet winter and spring through a very moderate growing season to 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 very exciting. Grapes came in looking and tasting great with very good acidity and sugar levels. Picking and processing ran really 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

ANALYSIS

Alc: 14.0%
pH: 3.60
TA: 4.6 g/L
RS: 1.6 g/L
TSO2: 71 mg/L
VA: 0.71 g/L

ACCOLADES

MERLOT 21: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
MERLOT 21: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
MERLOT 20: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
MERLOT 20: 88 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
MERLOT 20: 90 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
MERLOT 19: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
MERLOT 19: 87 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
MERLOT 18: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
MERLOT 18: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
MERLOT 18: 90 PTS CHRISTIAN EEDES (Wine Magazine)
MERLOT 18: 90 pts JAMES SUCKLING (MW)
MERLOT 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
MERLOT 17: 87 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
MERLOT 17: 89 PTS CHRISTIAN EEDES (Wine Magazine)
MERLOT 17: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
MERLOT 16: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
MERLOT 15: 4 stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
MERLOT 15: 91 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
MERLOT 15: 86 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)