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Planted in 1971, Riverside Chenin blanc is the oldest vineyard on Keermont and one of the oldest blocks on Chenin blanc in Stellenbosch. Soils on the banks of the Blaauwklippen River, in which the vines are planted, vary from sandy alluvial plains with river stone to red clay loam as one moves away from the river. This patchy old vineyard, at an elevation of 250m, delivers very low yields of incredible quality fruit year in and year out. Like the old vines from which it is made, this wine has great complexity and character with quiet intensity. Proud member of the Old Vine Project (www.oldvineproject.co.za). The yield from the Riverside Chenin blanc vineyard (2.14 HA) is so low that every bunch is used to make this wine. The vineyard is hand-picked in small sections according to where the grapes are perfectly ripe. The fruit is normally golden yellow in colour and peppered with delicious raisins. The grapes are crushed before being basket-pressed straight to the barrels where the juice will ferment. Fermentation is carried out by yeast which occurs naturally on the grape skins and in the winery. This wine was fermented and then spent a further 11 months maturing on the lees in three seasoned 500L French oak barrels. Bottling was carried out by hand and only 1665 bottles and 50 magnums of this wine were produced. -
Planted in 1971, Riverside Chenin blanc is the oldest vineyard on Keermont and one of the oldest blocks on Chenin blanc in Stellenbosch. Soils on the banks of the Blaauwklippen River, in which the vines are planted, vary from sandy alluvial plains with river stone to red clay loam as one moves away from the river. This patchy old vineyard, at an elevation of 250m, delivers very low yields of incredible quality fruit year in and year out. Like the old vines from which it is made, this wine has great complexity and character with quiet intensity. Proud member of the Old Vine Project (www.oldvineproject.co.za). The yield from the Riverside Chenin blanc vineyard (2.14 HA) is so low that every bunch is used to make this wine. The vineyard is hand-picked in small sections according to where the grapes are perfectly ripe. The fruit is normally golden yellow in colour and peppered with delicious raisins. The grapes are crushed before being basket-pressed straight to the barrels where the juice will ferment. Fermentation is carried out by yeast which occurs naturally on the grape skins and in the winery. This wine was fermented and then spent a further 11 months maturing on the lees in three seasoned 500L French oak barrels. Bottling was carried out by hand and only 1665 bottles and 50 magnums of this wine were produced.TASTING NOTE
Lovely faint lime hue. The aromas are fresh with delicate floral notes of lily and salted cashew and a soft indication of oak. Classic old vine Chenin blanc. Floral notes give way to youthful fruit aromas of naartjie or mandarin zest and fresh white pear. Fruit is lightly seasoned with toasted Sesame and spicy undertones. The palate is crisp and dry up front, with racy acidity and a long finish. White fruit notes follow through from the nose, and pear and granny smith apple flavours are most evident. After some time in the glass, it shows cumin and ginger spice with characteristic salinity and light texture on the finish.VINTAGE REPORT
Winter temperatures leading up to the 2020 harvest were moderate, with below average rainfall. Fortunately, we had a wet Spring which prompted the vines to grow strong and develop a decent size crop. Early season was marked by erratic temperatures with several heat spikes. These factors made farming quite tough with increased pressure from disease and insects. The vineyard team worked hard to prepare a healthy crop. Mid-Summer temperatures were moderate, although we did experience a short heat wave in January. This was followed by a galeforce South-East wind which hammered the vineyards. This resulted in the grapes ripening quickly. Although we started picking at a normal time, by 10 March we had picked all the grapes for our wines.ANALYSIS
Alc: 14.0 % pH: 3.42 TA: 5.2 g/L RS: 1.6 g/L TSO2: 72 mg/L VA: 0.90 g/LACCOLADES
RIVERSIDE CHEN 21: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE RIVERSIDE CHEN 21: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) RIVERSIDE CHEN 20: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE RIVERSIDE CHEN 20: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) RIVERSIDE CHEN 20: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) RIVERSIDE CHEN 20: 91 pts WINE SPECTATOR RIVERSIDE CHEN 19: 95 pts DECANTER RIVERSIDE CHEN 19: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE RIVERSIDE CHEN 19: 95 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) RIVERSIDE CHEN 19: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) RIVERSIDE CHEN 19: 91 pts WINE SPECTATOR RIVERSIDE CHEN 18: 95 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) RIVERSIDE CHEN 18: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) RIVERSIDE CHEN 18: 96 pts DECANTER RIVERSIDE CHEN 18: 96 pts WINE MAGAZINE RIVERSIDE CHEN 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE RIVERSIDE CHEN 17: 95pts TIM ATKIN (MW) RIVERSIDE CHEN 17: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE RIVERSIDE CHEN 17: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN RIVERSIDE CHEN 15: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) RIVERSIDE CHEN 15: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) RIVERSIDE CHEN 14: 5 stars PLATTER GUIDE 2016 RIVERSIDE CHEN 14: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) RIVERSIDE CHEN 14: 17 pts JANCIS ROBINSON RIVERSIDE CHEN 13: 89 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) RIVERSIDE CHEN 13: 4½ stars PLATTER GUIDE -
Pondokrug - a ridge (rug) deriving its name from a shepherds hut (Pondok). High up on the West facing slopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain, this is a 1.8Ha parcel of Cabernet Franc planted in 2006. At an elevation of 380m above sea level and surrounded by mountain ‘fynbos’ vegetation, this block is exposed to many natural elements resulting in very low yields. The soil on Pondokrug is red granitic loam with a high clay content which sustains the vines during the summer months. These factors allow us to produce an intense wine with unique flavours and a solid tannin structure. All grapes used in producing our wines are grown All grapes used in producing this wine are grown on two small terraces of Pondokrug. These small parcels of grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness and vinified separately. Fermentation is carried out by yeast which occurs naturally on the grape skins and in the winery. The wines spends three to four weeks fermenting and macerating on the skins in small open top tanks with one or two gentle ‘punch-downs’ performed per day. This wine spent 20 months maturing in seasoned 225 litre French oak barrels before being bottled by hand without filtration. 1370 bottles and 50 Magnums were produced.TASTING NOTE
The Pondokrug Cabernet Franc 2018 is bright blood red in colour. The nose is a deep, complex and intriguing mix of bright red cherry fruit, cloves, and some typical pyrazine character. The palate is firm and structured with subtle cherry and black current flavours with hints of herbal mountain vegetation (fynbos). The dusty, chalky tannins hold the fruit flavours into a long, succulent and dry finish. Drink 2024-2036.VINTAGE REPORT
Despite prevailing drought conditions, 2018 was a very good growing season on Keermont. We had a fairly cold winter although it was drier than usual. Spring arrived quite early and the warm weather ensured an even budburst. We had some good rain showers during the season which allowed for the vines to grow sufficiently. These factors led to the formation of a healthy crop which ripened evenly. We had very notable diurnal temperature variation during this season (warm days and cool nights) which is responsible for good tannin, colour, and flavour development. Harvest started at the beginning of February and ran very smoothly. We processed 87 tons (13 varieties) in the Keermont winery over the period of seven weeks.ANALYSIS
Alc: 15.0 % pH: 3.50 TA: 6.0 g/L RS: 1.7 g/L TSO2: 24 mg/L VA: 0.95 g/LACCOLADES
PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 19: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 19: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 18: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 18: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 18: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 17: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 17: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 17: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 17: 90 pts WINE SPECTATOR PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 16: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 16: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 16: 94 pts WINE MAGAZINE PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 16: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 15: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 15: 4 ½ star PLATTER GUIDE PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 15: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 14: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 14: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) PONDOKRUG CAB FRANC 14: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE -
Our two Merlot vineyards are High Road with heavier clay and more rocky soils (altitude 330m) which leans toward more dense and concentrated wine; and Homestead Merlot (altitude 260m) in lighter, loamy soils which leans toward more elegant wine. We follow a traditional winemaking philosophy which means indigenous yeast fermentation, no adjustment to acid or alcohol, maturation in seasoned oak barrels and bottling by hand with little or no filtration. This wine spent 19 months maturing in French oak barrels before being bottled on 28 October 2021. A total of 11720 bottles and 101 magnums were produced.TASTING NOTE
The Keermont Merlot 2020 has a vibrant venetian red colour. Enticing spicy red fruit on the nose with hints of cinnamon, dried herbs, and Christmas pudding. Classical soft, fruitful palate with dark plums, cherries and delicate anise and dried orange notes. Fine dusty tannins hold the wine into a long savoury finish. Best drinking: 2023-2035.VINTAGE REPORT
Winter temperatures leading up to the 2020 harvest were moderate, with below average rainfall. Fortunately, we had a wet Spring which prompted the vines to grow strong and develop a decent size crop. Early season was marked by erratic temperatures with several heat spikes. These factors made farming quite tough with increased pressure from disease and insects. The vineyard team worked hard to prepare a healthy crop. Mid-Summer temperatures were 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. This resulted in the grapes ripening quickly. Although we started picking at a normal time, by 10 March we had picked all the grapes for our wines.BLOCKS
BLOCKVARIETYPLANTEDYIELD%HomesteadMerlot20076.8 ton/Ha48%High RoadMerlot20098.0 ton/Ha42%PondokrugCabernet Franc20073.6 ton/Ha6%HomesteadMalbec20071.8 ton/Ha4%ANALYSIS
Alc: 15.0% pH: 3.686 TA: 5.2 g/L RS: 2.0 g/L TSO2: 82 mg/L VA: 0.94 g/LACCOLADES
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) -
Our two Merlot vineyards are High Road with heavier clay and more rocky soils (altitude 330m) which leans toward more dense and concentrated wine; and Homestead Merlot (altitude 260m) in lighter, loamy soils which leans toward more elegant wine. We follow a traditional winemaking philosophy which means indigenous yeast fermentation, no adjustment to acid or alcohol, maturation in seasoned oak barrels and bottling by hand with little or no filtration. This wine spent 19 months maturing in French oak barrels before being bottled on 28 October 2021. A total of 11720 bottles and 101 magnums were produced.TASTING NOTE
The Keermont Merlot 2020 has a vibrant venetian red colour. Enticing spicy red fruit on the nose with hints of cinnamon, dried herbs, and Christmas pudding. Classical soft, fruitful palate with dark plums, cherries and delicate anise and dried orange notes. Fine dusty tannins hold the wine into a long savoury finish. Best drinking: 2023-2035.VINTAGE REPORT
Winter temperatures leading up to the 2020 harvest were moderate, with below average rainfall. Fortunately, we had a wet Spring which prompted the vines to grow strong and develop a decent size crop. Early season was marked by erratic temperatures with several heat spikes. These factors made farming quite tough with increased pressure from disease and insects. The vineyard team worked hard to prepare a healthy crop. Mid-Summer temperatures were 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. This resulted in the grapes ripening quickly. Although we started picking at a normal time, by 10 March we had picked all the grapes for our wines.BLOCKS
BLOCKVARIETYPLANTEDYIELD%HomesteadMerlot20076.8 ton/Ha48%High RoadMerlot20098.0 ton/Ha42%PondokrugCabernet Franc20073.6 ton/Ha6%HomesteadMalbec20071.8 ton/Ha4%ANALYSIS
Alc: 15.0% pH: 3.686 TA: 5.2 g/L RS: 2.0 g/L TSO2: 82 mg/L VA: 0.94 g/LACCOLADES
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) -
Terrasse is our barrel fermented white blend which derives its name from the terraced vineyards leading up the mountains on the estate. We have six different white wine varieties planted on these terraces and every year we make up a unique blend depending on what the year gives us. The base is Chenin blanc from three distinctive vineyards - our old vine Riverside block planted in 1971, the dryland bush vine Bobbejaan Wingerd (Baboon Vineyard), and the trellised Low Road vineyard. The other varieties add complexity and create a more complete wine. Chardonnay gives a little more weight on the palate, Sauvignon blanc from our dryland vineyard ‘Uitkyk’ (planted in 1988) brings fresh acidity, and the drops of Roussanne, Marsanne, and Viognier give this vintage a slight spicy, aromatic lift. Small batches of grapes are selected according to ripeness, harvested by hand and vinified separately. Terrasse is fermented by indigenous yeast in seasoned French oak barrels and spends a further 12 months maturing on the lees. Bottling is carried out by hand with minimal fining and filtration.TASTING NOTE
The Terrasse 2022 has an inviting aroma with notes of spring flowers, ripe apricots and citrus, and a hint of fennel. The palate is soft and luscious, with lovely fresh acidity and an array of flavours: ripe apricot, peach and quince flavours complimented by richer more spicy savoury fruit. This follows into a lingering aftertaste with salty acidity. Drink 2023-2035.VINTAGE REPORT
2022 will go down as a very successful and plentiful vintage at Keermont. On paper it was a vintage of two halves. The first half of the season was very cool and wet. We recorded the wettest winter since starting to farm Keermont Vineyards in 2005! By Christmas time we could see that we had a lovely looking crop of grapes ripening on the healthy green vines. After Christmas the weather changed completely and we had a hot and dry run into harvest. The grapes, which we thought were going to be harvested late, ripened quickly under the healthy conditions. Harvest started on 1 February which is fairly normal for us. It quickly picked up tempo and before long we were going flat out picking grapes and processing in the cellar. We pressed our biggest vintage ever in the Keermont Winery: just over 90 tonnes of healthy, estate grown fruit!BLOCKS
BLOCKVARIETYPLANTEDYIELD%Low RoadChenin Blanc200710.2 ton/Ha34%BobbejaanChenin Blanc20092.9 ton/Ha12%UitkykSauv Blanc19882.7 ton/Ha14%Low RoadChardonnay20077.0 ton/Ha15%Die TerrasseChardonnay20090.7 ton/Ha5%Cottage LaneViognier20069.2 ton/Ha8%RiversideRoussanne20146.2 ton/Ha10%RiversideMarsanne20147.5 ton/Ha2%ANALYSIS
Chenin blanc 46%; Chardonnay 20%; Sauvignon blanc 14%; Roussanne 10%; Viognier 8% Marsanne 2% Alc: 13.5% pH: 3.32 TA: 5.2g/L RS: 2.2g/L TSO2: 78mg/L VA: 0.52g/LACCOLADES
TERRASSE 23: 5 stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 23: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TERRASSE 23: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 22: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 22: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 22: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TERRASSE 21: 91 pts WINE SPECTATOR TERRASSE 21: 5 stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 21: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 21: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TERRASSE 20: 90 pts WINE SPECTATOR TERRASSE 20: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 20: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TERRASSE 19: 91 pts WINE SPECTATOR TERRASSE 19: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TERRASSE 19: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 19: 95 pts CHRISTIAN EEDES (Wine Magazine) TERRASSE 19: 92 pts JAMES SUCKLING (MW) TERRASSE 19: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 18: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 18: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TERRASSE 18: 93 pts CHRISTIAN EEDES (Wine Magazine) TERRASSE 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 17: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 17: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 16: FIRST CLASS Japan Airlines TERRASSE 16: 93pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 16: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 16: 90 pts NEAL MARTIN TERRASSE 15: 95 pts Cape White Blend Report - Wine Magazine 2017 TERRASSE 15: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 15: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE TERRASSE 15: 92 pts WINE SPECTATOR TERRASSE 15: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) TERRASSE 14: FIRST CLASS British Airways TERRASSE 14: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 14: 90 pts WINE SPECTATOR 2016 TERRASSE 14: 4½ stars PLATTER GUIDE 2016 TERRASSE 14: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) TERRASSE 13: FIRST CLASS British Airways TERRASSE 13: 17 pts JANCIS ROBINSON TERRASSE 13: 89 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) TERRASSE 13: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TERRASSE 13: MATTHEW JUKES WoW in Money week: “scintillating “– 21 November 2014 TERRASSE 13: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE -
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. We add a small percentage of Mourvedre to this to bring some extra tannin structure and complexity. 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 27 November 2019. We produced 13074 bottles and 98 magnums.TASTING NOTE
Keermont Syrah 2018 has a bright blood 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 exudes vibrant flavours of cherry and raspberry, complimented by savoury spice, and a vanilla note. A soft, but tight tannin structure and good natural acidity keep the flavours focused into a tidy succulent finish. Drink 2023-2033.VINTAGE REPORT
Despite prevailing drought conditions, 2018 was a very good growing season on Keermont. We had a fairly cold winter although it was drier than usual. Spring arrived quite early and the warm weather ensured an even budburst. We had some good rain showers during the season which allowed for the vines to grow sufficiently. These factors led to the formation of a healthy crop which ripened evenly. We had very notable diurnal temperature variation during this season (warm days and cool nights) which is responsible for good tannin, colour, and flavour development. Harvest started at the beginning of February and ran very smoothly. We processed 87 tons (13 varieties) in the Keermont winery over the period of seven weeks.BLOCKS
BLOCKVARIETYPLANTEDYIELD%SteepsideSyrah20055.3 ton/Ha30%SteepsideSyrah20092.7 ton/Ha10%TopsideSyrah20065.6 ton/Ha30%SweetwaterSyrah200614.6 ton/Ha19%SteepsideMourvèdre20092.2 ton/Ha11%ANALYSIS
Alc: 14.0 % pH: 3.66 TA: 5.2 g/L RS: 1.8 g/L TSO2: 51 mg/L VA: 0.72 g/LACCOLADES
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: 17 pts JANCIS ROBINSON 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 10: 17.5pts JULIA HARDING (MW) (Jancis Robinson) SYRAH 09: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) SYRAH 09: 91pts JAMES MOLESWORTH (Wine Spectator) SYRAH 09: 94pts PETER MOSER (Falstaff) -
Planted in 2005 on the steep mid-slopes of the Helderberg Mountain range, the Steepside Syrah vineyard sits at an elevation of 300m. Vines grow in red clay loam soils with high levels of iron and quartzite originating from the peaks above. The combination of these deep granitic soils and the intensity of the sunshine on the North facing ridge allows the vineyard to produce wines with power and structure, while the spicy herbal aromatics can be attributed to the elevation and the pristine fynbos flora that surround it. All grapes used in producing this wine come from our Steepside 2 Syrah block (1.3Ha). Small parcels of grapes are specifically selected according to ripeness, harvested by hand and vinified separately. Fermentation is carried out by yeast which occurs naturally on the grape skins and in the winery. Red wines spend three to four weeks fermenting and macerating on the skins in small open top tanks with one or two gentle ‘punch-downs’ performed per day. This wine spent 20 months maturing in seasoned 225L and 500L French oak barrels before being bottled by hand and only 2822 bottles and 50 magnums were produced.TASTING NOTE
Deep, royal red in colour the Steepside Syrah has a brooding dusty red fruit character on the nose with hints of white pepper, cloves, and fynbos. The palate is soft and full with a gentle chalky tannin structure. Ripe spicey fruit flavours are complimented by notes of herbs and pepper. The delicate flavours and tannin linger into a succulent dry finish. Drink 2020-2028VINTAGE REPORT
Despite prevailing drought conditions, 2018 was a very good growing season on Keermont. We had a fairly cold winter although it was drier than usual. Spring arrived quite early and the warm weather ensured an even budburst. We had some good rain showers during the season which allowed for the vines to grow sufficiently. These factors led to the formation of a healthy crop which ripened evenly. We had very notable diurnal temperature variation during this season (warm days and cool nights) which is responsible for good tannin, colour, and flavour development. Harvest started at the beginning of February and ran very smoothly. We processed 87 tons (13 varieties) in the Keermont winery over the period of seven weeks.ANALYSIS
Alc: 14.5 % pH: 3.79 TA: 5.0 g/L RS: 1.0 g/L TSO2: 44 mg/L VA: 0.70 g/LACCOLADES
STEEPSIDE SYRAH 19: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE STEEPSIDE SYRAH 19: 95 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 18: 88th place: JAMES SUCKLING TOP 100 SA WINES STEEPSIDE SYRAH 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE STEEPSIDE SYRAH 18: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 18: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 18: 92 pts WINE SPECTATOR STEEPSIDE SYRAH 17: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE STEEPSIDE SYRAH 17: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 17: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 17: 92 pts WINE SPECTATOR STEEPSIDE SYRAH 16: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 16: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 16: 96 pts DECANTER STEEPSIDE SYRAH 16: 92 pts WINE MAGAZINE STEEPSIDE SYRAH 16: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE STEEPSIDE SYRAH 15: 95 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 15: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE STEEPSIDE SYRAH 15: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN STEEPSIDE SYRAH 14: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 14: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 14: 4½ stars PLATTER GUIDE STEEPSIDE SYRAH 12: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 12: TIM ATKIN (MW) – Super Syrah: 70 top New World buys for Rhone Lovers, Decanter Magazine, Sep 2015 STEEPSIDE SYRAH 12: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) STEEPSIDE SYRAH 12: 4½ stars PLATTER GUIDE -
The Topside Syrah vineyard is situated high up on the West facing midslopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain range (Elevation 350m). It was planted in 2006 on rocky soils consisting of sandstone and granite, weathered from the peaks above with a little Malmsbury shale. Vines are unirrigated, trellised and run with the contour in a North South direction. The elevation, soil and aspect all contribute to spicy character and fine tannin structure of this wine. The views from the top of this vineyard west to False Bay and Table Mountain are simply breath taking. All grapes used in producing this wine come from our Topside Syrah block (1.7Ha). Small parcels of grapes are specifically selected according to ripeness, harvested by hand and vinified separately. Fermentation is carried out by yeast which occurs naturally on the grape skins and in the winery. Red wines spend three to four weeks fermenting and macerating on the skins in small open top tanks with one or two gentle ‘punch-downs’ performed per day. This wine spent 20 months maturing in seasoned 225L and 500L French oak barrels before being bottled by hand on 5 December 2019. Only 2822 bottles and 50 magnums were produced.TASTING NOTE
Dark plummy red in colour, the Topside Syrah 2018 is shy at first, but opens into a beautiful bouquet of black fruit with hints of ripe cherries, rose petal and white pepper. On the palate, the wine is tight and savoury with bold, grippy tannin structure. This anchors the powerful dark fruit with hints of herbs and pepper. The finish is long and focussed with juicy, succulent fruit notes and lingering tannin. Drink 2020-2030.VINTAGE REPORT
Despite prevailing drought conditions, 2018 was a very good growing season on Keermont. We had a fairly cold winter although it was drier than usual. Spring arrived quite early and the warm weather ensured an even budburst. We had some good rain showers during the season which allowed for the vines to grow sufficiently. These factors led to the formation of a healthy crop which ripened evenly. We had very notable diurnal temperature variation during this season (warm days and cool nights) which is responsible for good tannin, colour, and flavour development. Harvest started at the beginning of February and ran very smoothly. We processed 87 tons (13 varieties) in the Keermont winery over the period of seven weeks.ANALYSIS
Alc: 14.5 % pH: 3.57 TA: 5.4 g/L RS: 2.0 g/L TSO2: 42 mg/L VA: 0.69 g/LACCOLADES
TOPSIDE SYRAH 19: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TOPSIDE SYRAH 19: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TOPSIDE SYRAH 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TOPSIDE SYRAH 18: 97 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TOPSIDE SYRAH 18: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TOPSIDE SYRAH 18: 90 pts WINE SPECTATOR TOPSIDE SYRAH 17: 5 stars PLATTER GUIDE TOPSIDE SYRAH 17: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TOPSIDE SYRAH 17: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TOPSIDE SYRAH 17: 90 pts WINE SPECTATOR TOPSIDE SYRAH 16: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TOPSIDE SYRAH 16: 96 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) TOPSIDE SYRAH 16: 95 pts DECANTER TOPSIDE SYRAH 16: 93 pts WINE MAGAZINE TOPSIDE SYRAH 16: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TOPSIDE SYRAH 15: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TOPSIDE SYRAH 15: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE TOPSIDE SYRAH 15: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN TOPSIDE SYRAH 14: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) TOPSIDE SYRAH 14: 95 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TOPSIDE SYRAH 14: 5 stars PLATTER GUIDE 2017 TOPSIDE SYRAH 12: 95 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) TOPSIDE SYRAH 12: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) TOPSIDE SYRAH 12: 4½ stars PLATTER GUIDE -
75% Mourvèdre; 25% Syrah The Keermont 4 Barrels Rosé 2024 is a barrel fermented Rosé made up of three barrels of Mourvèdre and one barrel of Syrah. The Mourvèdre grows high up in the Steepside vineyard and the Syrah grapes come from the Sweetwater vineyard lower in the valley which ripens very late allowing us plenty of time to pick some nice fresh grapes for the Rosé. Winemaking: The batches are harvested early (before they are very ripe) for freshness in the wine. The grapes are left on the skins for about an hour to draw just the right amount of colour before being basket pressed. The juice is fermented in seasoned French oak barrels and left to settle for about 6 months before being bottled by hand. Total of 1156 bottles and 50 Magnums produced. TASTING NOTE Pale onion skin pink in colour, this wine has powerful aromas of ripe strawberry, litchi, and watermelon. The palate is soft and textured with vibrant acidity. Beautiful tropical and stone fruit flavours are complimented by vanilla undertones. Drink now, but will last for at least 5 years. ANALYSIS Alc: 14.0% pH: 3.39 TA: 4.9 g/L RS: 2.1 g/L TSO2: 58 mg/L VA: 0.60 g/L VINTAGE REPORT A cold, wet winter set the vines up for the growing season. The early season ran smoothly, but unfavourable conditions during flowering led to a smaller crop that we initially expected. A series of heat waves in the second half of the ripening season saw the small crop ripening quickly. The crop was down by 30% although the quality is looking excellent. -
KEERMONT 2017 VINTAGE CASE
Terrasse 2017, Cabernet 2017, Steepside Syrah 2017, Topside Syrah 2017, Pondokrug Cabernet Franc 2017, Fleurfontein 2017 -
Out of stock
75% Mourvèdre; 25% Syrah The Keermont 4 Barrels Rosé 2024 is a barrel fermented Rosé made up of three barrels of Mourvèdre and one barrel of Syrah. The Mourvèdre grows high up in the Steepside vineyard and the Syrah grapes come from the Sweetwater vineyard lower in the valley which ripens very late allowing us plenty of time to pick some nice fresh grapes for the Rosé. Winemaking: The batches are harvested early (before they are very ripe) for freshness in the wine. The grapes are left on the skins for about an hour to draw just the right amount of colour before being basket pressed. The juice is fermented in seasoned French oak barrels and left to settle for about 6 months before being bottled by hand. Total of 1156 bottles and 50 Magnums produced. TASTING NOTE Pale onion skin pink in colour, this wine has powerful aromas of ripe strawberry, litchi, and watermelon. The palate is soft and textured with vibrant acidity. Beautiful tropical and stone fruit flavours are complimented by vanilla undertones. Drink now, but will last for at least 5 years. ANALYSIS Alc: 14.0% pH: 3.39 TA: 4.9 g/L RS: 2.1 g/L TSO2: 58 mg/L VA: 0.60 g/L VINTAGE REPORT A cold, wet winter set the vines up for the growing season. The early season ran smoothly, but unfavourable conditions during flowering led to a smaller crop that we initially expected. A series of heat waves in the second half of the ripening season saw the small crop ripening quickly. The crop was down by 30% although the quality is looking excellent.
TASTING ROOM HOURS
Fri 10:30 to 13:30
Sat 10:00 to 15:00
Tue – Thu by Appointment
Closed Sundays & Public Holidays
ADDRESS
Keermont Vineyards
Upper Blaauwklippen Road
Stellenbosch, South Africa
SOCIAL MEDIA
CONTACT US
+ 27 (0)21 880 0397
info@keermont.co.za
TASTING ROOM HOURS
Fri 10:30 to 13:30
Sat 10:00 to 15:00
Tue – Thu by Appointment
Closed Sundays & Public Holidays
ADDRESS
Keermont Vineyards
Upper Blaauwklippen Road
Stellenbosch, South Africa
CONTACT US
+ 27 (0)21 880 0397
info@keermont.co.za
© Keermont Vineyards