Alain de la Treille Le Rose 2018

Voix de la Vigne Pinot Noir is 100 percent Pinot Noir. Vintage report: Higher than normal temperatures in spring allowed for early bloom, flower and fruit-set in perfect conditions. The last rains were waved away on the second of June and the Willamette Valley enjoyed a warm and dry growing season with temperatures never threatening over-ripeness. The harvest began in the last week of August, almost a full month earlier than normal. Grape clusters were larger than usual as a result of a very giving vintage, allowing for larger yields at high levels of quality. A twin to 2014, although a year apart, the 2015 vintage provided pristinely clean fruit with minimal ill-effects due to disease, pests and birds. With the wines showing extraordinary balance between fruit, sugar and acidity, the harmony of the 2015 vintage sets the stage for some stellar Oregon wines.

Tasting Notes: Fresh raspberry aromas open immediately on the nose followed by darker fruits, brambles and a touch of black pepper. The flavors on the palate are exuberant red berries with a slight hint of dried herbs. The mouthfeel is fresh with balanced fruit and the finish lingers with a soft velvet texture.

Age of the vines: between 8 and 35 years old.
Soil: Volcanic and Sedimentary
The fruit underwent a two-day soak prior to fermentation for a total of nineteen days of skin contact. 100% malolactic fermentation occurred over a five month period.
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling.

Thorn Clarke Terra Barossa Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz

Comments

Lighter in style than usual, the wine offers aromas of sweet berry fruits, plums, pepper and spice. There is rich fruit on the palate displaying plums, blackberry and sweet spice from the subtle oak. Nice soft tannins are accompanied by great length of fruit flavour.

Vinification Notes

The grapes are crushed and de-stemmed into fermenters. Yeast is added immediately once in fermenter and the ferments are pumped over twice daily to maximise colour, tannin and flavour extraction. Cooling is used to ensure ferment temperatures remain in the 22-25 degree celcius range which will allow the fruit to display maximum fruit expression. Pressing then occurs approximately seven days after crushing and the  wine is then put into predominately American oak to mature.

Review:

"If you think the flavours and texture of this wine more akin to the Eden Valley than the Barossa Valley, you're probably right - three of the four estate vineyards are in the Eden Valley, on in the Barossa Valley. The scented pepper, spice and black cherry of the wine provide a lightness of foot to the medium-bodied palate, balance following the same line."
- James Halliday, 94 pts

Keermont Estate Reserve Red Blend is made from 36% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec, 6% Syrah, 4% Petit Verdot

The Keermont Estate Reserve is the winery's flagship red blend. With this blend they aim to bring to life the nuances of both the terroir at Keermont Vineyards and the particular vintage.

Venetian red in color, this wine exudes complex aromas of ripe cherry, wild berries, and dusty 'fynbos'. The palate has an array of ripe berries, cherry sherbet, crushed herbs and spices. Elegant but firm tannin affords the wine a long dry succulent finish.  

All grapes are grown on Keermont Vineyards. Most of the vineyard parcels grow on deep red clay rich soil derived from sandstone and granite and are surrounded by indigenous vegetation. They lie between 250 and 400 meters above sea level in the valley between the Stellenbosch and Helderberg mountain ranges and have a variety of aspects from North East to West facing.

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 22 months maturing in French oak barrels (20% new) before being bottled by hand without filtration

Review:

"This 2013 Estate Reserve was previously known as just "Keermont" since the estate wanted to keep the wine before release. A lot of fruit was lost to wind during flowering, ergo there is a little more Cabernet in the blend. The wine spent 22 months maturing in French oak barrels (20% new) before being bottled by hand without filtration on December 22, 2014. It has a precise, detailed bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, cold stone and just a touch of iodine. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity and quite strict tannin, grippy in the mouth, yet very elegant, presenting a lingering, almost Saint-Julien-like finish. Give this another year in bottle and you will have a very fine wine in your possession. - Neal Martin"

- Vinous (August 29th 2018), 92 pts

"This is Keermont’s flagship wine, the first wine made under the label in 2007. It sees 2 years in oak and is kept in bottle another 2 years before release. Richly aromatic with spice and fynbos/herbal notes. Fabulous, layered texture of rich, dense dark red fruit seamlessly integrated with toasted oak. A blend of 36% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Fanc, 10% Malbec, 6% Syrah and 4% Petit Verdot. 14.5% alc. Alex has been gradually increasing the percent of Cabernet Franc in this wine over time."

- International Wine Review (January 2019), 92 pts