Keermont Vineyards is a specialist wine estate set in the 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. Vineyard aspects vary from Northeast through North to West facing and they lie 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. This wine spent 29 months maturing in seasoned French oak barriques (first, second, third fill) before being bottled by hand without filtration on 6 August 2020. 3685 bottles and 100 magnums were produced. The Keermont Amphitheatre 2018 lay in bottle in our cellar for 5 years before release to ensure integration and maturity.

TASTING NOTE

Bright ruby red in the glass, the Keermont Amphitheatre 2018 opens with rich ripe fruit complimented by hints of baked pudding, vanilla, cloves and potpourri. The palate is luxurious and layered. Vibrant red fruit flavours of strawberries and cherries with typical herbal notes with hints if cured meat and sandal wood. Layers of flavour and tannin linger into a long, balanced savoury finish. Drink 2025-2037.

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

 

BLOCK	VARIETY	PLANTED	YIELD	%
Steepside	Syrah	2005	5.3 ton/Ha	15%
High Road	Merlot	2005	3.0 ton/Ha	23%
Cottage Lane	Cab Sauv	2006	5.2 ton/Ha	22%
High Road	Cab Franc	2007	3.1 ton/Ha	14%
Steepside	Petit Verdot	2005	3.2 ton/Ha	17%
Homestead	Malbec	2007	5.5 ton/Ha	8%
Steepside	Mourvedre	2009	2.4 ton/Ha	1%

ANALYSIS

Alc: 15.0 % pH: 3.58 TA: 5.5 g/L RS: 3.1 g/L TSO2: 45 mg/L VA: 0.80 g/L

ACCOLADES

AMPHITHEATRE 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE AMPHITHEATRE 18: 93 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) AMPHITHEATRE 17: 4 ½ stars PLATTER GUIDE AMPHITHEATRE 17: 91 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

(375ml) The KEERMONT FLEURFONTEIN (‘flower fountain’) derives its name from a beautiful spring on the farm. The Sauvignon blanc vineyard from which grapes are sourced for this wine lies just below this spring. We use a distinctive technique to produce raisins in the vineyard which give the Fleurfontein its concentration and sweetness. Raisins are produced by using a pair of pliers to pinch the stem of the bunches while they ripen on the vine. This pinching action stops the translocation of fluids into and out of the grapes, which then stops them from becoming over ripe. We do this when the grapes are at optimal ripeness in order to concentrate the juice with the perfect sugar to acid balance. The grapes dry out naturally during the warm summer and are harvested a few weeks later. The syrupy juice is squeezed from them with a hard pressing process. This is slowly fermented by indigenous yeast in Hungarian and French oak barrels and then matures in these barrels for about 15 months. Total production for this bottling was seven barrels yielding 3900 bottles. All grapes used in producing this wine were grown on Keermont Vineyards. Processing, maturation, and bottling were carried out by hand in our cellar.  

TASTING NOTE

Yellow gold in colour, the Fleurfontein 2023 exudes aromas of dried apricot, litchi, and pine apple with hints of almond, vanilla and sweet spice. The palate is full and creamy with concentrated flavours of dried fruit, honey vanilla biscuit and a touch of curry spice. A central core of acidity gives the wine a long, complex, salted caramel finish. Drink now through to 2035.  

VINTAGE REPORT

2023 will be remembered as a wet vintage in the Cape. Winter was cold and wet (which is very beneficial for the vineyards and sets them on a good course for the vintage). While spring and the beginning of the growing season was cool and relatively dry, we did receive above average rainfall. December was very wet which created a lot of disease pressure and led to more growth in the vineyard. Harvest was also wetter than usual, and we had to time our picking carefully to avoid dilution from the rain. Fortunately, the Fleurfontein grapes were able to dry under relatively healthy conditions and we produced a record 7 barrels of sweet wine.  

BLOCKS

BLOCK	VARIETY	PLANTED	YIELD	%
Low Road	Sauvignon blanc	2005	8.9 ton/Ha	100%

ANALYSIS

Alc: 12.5 % pH: 3.45 TA: 7.2 g/L RS: 230.9 g/L TSO2: 155 mg/L VA: 1.55 g/L  

ACCOLADES

FLEURFONTEIN 23: 5 stars PLATTER'S GUIDE FLEURFONTEIN 23: 95 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous) FLEURFONTEIN 22: 4 ½ stars PLATTER'S GUIDE FLEURFONTEIN 22: 95 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) FLEURFONTEIN 22: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous) FLEURFONTEIN 21: 90 pts WINE SPECTATOR FLEURFONTEIN 21: 96 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) FLEURFONTEIN NV: 4 ½ stars PLATTER'S GUIDE FLEURFONTEIN NV: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) FLEURFONTEIN 19: 97 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous) FLEURFONTEIN 19: 90 pts WINE SPECTATOR FLEURFONTEIN 19: 93 pts WINE MAGAZINE FLEURFONTEIN 19: 4 ½ stars PLATTER'S GUIDE FLEURFONTEIN 18: 95 pts NEAL MARTIN (Vinous) FLEURFONTEIN 18: 4 ½ stars PLATTER'S GUIDE FLEURFONTEIN 18: 92pts TIM ATKIN (MW) FLEURFONTEIN 17: 93pts TIM ATKIN (MW) FLEURFONTEIN 17: 4 stars PLATTER'S GUIDE FLEURFONTEIN 17: 93 pts NEAL MARTIN FLEURFONTEIN 15: 95 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) FLEURFONTEIN 15: 94 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) FLEURFONTEIN 14: 94 pts TIM ATKIN (MW) FLEURFONTEIN 14: 94pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) FLEURFONTEIN 13: FIRST CLASS British Airways FLEURFONTEIN 13: 16.5 pts JANCIS ROBINSON FLEURFONTEIN 12: 91pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) FLEURFONTEIN 12: 94 ptsTIM ATKIN (MW) FLEURFONTEIN 12: FIRST CLASS British Airways FLEURFONTEIN 12: 4½ starsPLATTER GUIDE 2015 FLEURFONTEIN 10: 92 pts NEAL MARTIN (Wine Advocate) FLEURFONTEIN 10: 4 stars PLATTER GUIDE 2012