Keermont Vineyards is a specialist wine estate set in a naturally-formed amphitheatre between the Helderberg and Stellenbosch Mountain ranges. Selecting the best fruit from several vineyard sites on the farm, we create a blend each year which is distinctive, unique, and portrays the character of our superb terroir. This blend is Keermont Amphitheatre. All grapes used in producing our wines are grown on Keermont Vineyards. The vineyards grow on deep red clay rich soil derived from sandstone and granite and are surrounded by indigenous mountain ‘fynbos’ vegetation. Aspects vary from North East through North to West facing between 250 and 400 meters above sea level. This variety of slopes gives us complexity in our vineyards resulting in complexity in our wines. 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. Keermont Amphitheatre 2016 spent 20 months maturing in seasoned French oak barriques (first, second, third fill) before being bottled by hand without filtration on 29 November 2017. The wine lay in bottle in our cellar for 5 years before release to ensure integration and maturity. 7500 bottles and 107 magnums were produced.

TASTING NOTE

Bright crimson red in the glass, although more opaque than dark. This wine opens with dusty, ripe strawberry aromas complimented by hints of baked pudding, vanilla, and sweet citrus blossom. The palate is tight and effortless, with a firm chalky tannin structure and an array of flavours: ripe plum and berries to savoury herbs and oak tannin. The finish is long and succulent with lingering cherry flavours and grippy tannin. Drink 2022-2035.

VINTAGE REPORT

2016 vintage was a challenging one for the vineyard team. It started with moderate Winter temperatures and below average rainfall. Spring came early and was also warm and dry, we had to start irrigating earlier than usual. The weather continued to warm up towards Christmas and we experienced average maximum temperatures of 30°C and 35°C for December and January respectively! Fortunately, we had some rain during December which pepped the vines up leading into the critical ‘veraison’ period, when the berries change colour and begin to ripen and enter a high water-demand period. With all of the hot, dry weather the grapes ripened quickly and we started picking earlier than ever before on 19 January. We processed 78 tons and 11 varieties over the next month. Fortunately we were able to get all of the grapes in with good analysis. Harvest ended as quickly as it had begun. By 19 February we had picked all of the grapes for Keermont wines.

BLOCKS

BLOCK	VARIETY	PLANTED	YIELD	%
Steepside	Merlot	1987	1.2 ton/Ha	10%
High Road	Merlot	2005	4.4 ton/Ha	9%
Cottage Lane	Cab Sauv	2006	4.8 ton/Ha	29%
High Road	Cab Franc	2007	4.6 ton/Ha	28%
Steepside	Petit Verdot	2005	4.5 ton/Ha	8%
Homestead	Malbec	2007	7.4 ton/Ha	16%

ANALYSIS

Alc: 14.0 % pH: 3.61 TA: 5.4 g/L RS: 2.0 g/L TSO2: 71 mg/L VA: 0.81 g/L

ACCOLADES

AMPHITHEATRE 17: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE AMPHITHEATRE 17: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) AMPHITHEATRE 17: 91 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) AMPHITHEATRE 16: 91 WINE SPECTATOR AMPHITHEATRE 16: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE AMPHITHEATRE 16: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) AMPHITHEATRE 16: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) AMPHITHEATRE 15: 95 pts NEAL MARTIN (VINOUS) AMPHITHEATRE 15: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) AMPHITHEATRE 15: 90 pts CHRISTIAN EEDES (Wine Magazine) AMPHITHEATRE 15: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE