Keermont Syrah 2020

KEERMONT SYRAH is a blend of three different Syrah vineyard sites growing on Keermont Vineyards:
Steepside Syrah: Growing on a North facing slope in deep, red clay-rich soils; this vineyard generally produces softer full bodied wines with rich, spicy flavours.
Topside Syrah: An unirrigated west facing vineyard planted at 400m above sea level on rocky sandstone-based soil. Topside Syrah is usually an aromatic wine with a solid structure and high natural acid.
Sweetwater Syrah: Situated in a rocky valley below the Fleurfontein spring, this is the coolest of the three Syrah sites and ripens the latest. Sweetwater Syrah is normally lighter and elegant in style with a herbal aroma.

VINIFICATION

All grapes used in producing our wines are grown on Keermont Vineyards. Small parcels 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 20 months maturing in seasoned 500 and 225 Litre French oak barrels before being bottled by hand on 19 November 2021. We produced 3359 bottles and 100 magnums.

TASTING NOTE

Keermont Syrah 2020 has a bright red colour with a lighter hue. The bouquet is enticing with strawberries and other red fruit and notes of sandal wood, tea leaf, cloves, and orange rind. The wine has a gentle entry onto the palate. It opens up with vibrant flavours cherry and raspberry complimented by savoury spice and a herbal note. A velvety, but tight tannin structure and good natural acid keep the flavours focussed into a tidy succulent finish. Drink 2026-2035.

VINTAGE REPORT

Winter temperatures at the start of the 2020 vintage were moderate with below average rainfall. Fortunately, we had a wet spring which prompted the vines to grow strongly and develop a decent size crop. Early season was marked by fairly erratic temperatures with several heat spikes. These factors made farming quite tough with increased pressure from disease and insects and the vineyard team worked hard to prepare a good looking crop.
Mid-summer temperatures were fairly moderate although we did experience a short heat wave in January. This was followed by a gale force South-East wind which hammered the vineyards. The light crop ripened quickly and, although we started picking at a fairly normal time, by 10 March we had picked all of the grapes for our wines.

BLOCKS

ANALYSIS

Alc: 14.5 %
pH: 3.63
TA: 5.2 g/L
RS: 2.0 g/L
TSO2: 54 mg/L
VA: 1.09 g/L

ACCOLADES

SYRAH 20: 91 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 20: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
SYRAH 19: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
SYRAH 19: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
SYRAH 19: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
SYRAH 18: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 18: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
SYRAH 17: 91 WINE SPECTATOR
SYRAH 17: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
SYRAH 17: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 17: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous)
SYRAH 16: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)
SYRAH 16: 92 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 16: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
SYRAH 15: 91 pts WINE MAGAZINE
SYRAH 15: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 15: 4 ½ stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
SYRAH 15: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)
SYRAH 14: 4 stars PLATTER’S GUIDE
SYRAH 14: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 14: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)
SYRAH 13: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 13: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE
SYRAH 12: 95 pts (5 stars) DECANTER MAGAZINE
SYRAH 12: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)
SYRAH 12: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW)
SYRAH 12: MATTHEW JUKES WoW in Money week:”my top red wine from the recent South African expo ….””the greatest South African sensory experiences of my year “-  21 November 2014
SYRAH 12: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE
SYRAH 11: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)
SYRAH 10: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)
SYRAH 10: 92pts JAMES MOLESWORTH (Wine Spectator)
SYRAH 10: 19/20 RENÉ GABRIEL
SYRAH 10: 92pts PETER MOSER (Falstaff)
SYRAH 09: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate)
SYRAH 09: 91pts JAMES MOLESWORTH (Wine Spectator)
SYRAH 09: 94pts PETER MOSER (Falstaff)