Keermont Fleurfontein 2015 (half bottle)

Keermont Fleurfontein is made from 60% Sauvignon and 40% Chenin Blanc.

An attractive autumn yellow gold color, powerful apple, lime and melons on the nose with light oak and nut aromas, palate defined by a central core of fresh acidity which balances the sweetness and layers of fruit and rich lease. Drink now through 2020.

All grapes used in producing this wine were grown on Keermont Vineyards. Bottling was carried out by hand without filtration, so if you are lucky you may find a little lees in the bottom of your bottle.

The wine is produced by pinching the stems of the grapes while they hang on the vine. This stops the translocation of fluids into and out of the grapes and allows them to slowly dry out on the vine. The raisins are harvested a few weeks later and the syrupy juice is squeezed from them with a hard pressing process. The syrup ferments in barrel and is left to mature for 12 months. Total production was just one barrel yielding 580 bottles.

Review:

"Light gold. Pure and refined in character, this sweet wine (230 g/L RS) offers a fine, rich perfume that soars from the glass. It shows seductively sweet rich, ripe stone fruit on a creamy palate. Good acidity keeps the wine lively on the finish. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc sweet wine is made by crimping the stem to force dessication, then dried on the vine for 3-4 weeks. It’s aged 18 months in 30-40% new barriques, some of Hungarian origin. 11% alc."

- International Wine Review (January 2019), 93 pts

"From the first sniff on the nose, you can tell that the 2017 Fleurfontein has that "wow factor." Jumping out of the glass, there are aromas of rich and sticky stone fruits, with an essence of dried pineapple and golden raisin plus an intense floral bouquet. The palate is lusciously sweet with a focus on floral and tropical fruit tones. The finish is long and lively with a fresh, clean dried apricot flavor. Yum! This wine was created by twisting the stems of the bunches over a one- to two-month period, destroying the water and nutrient pathways to the grapes so that they shrivel and dry naturally on the vine. 2,400 bottles were made of this sweet and delicious wine. - Anthony Mueller"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #245, October 2019), 93 pts

Keermont Pondokrug Cabernet Franc is made from Cabernet Franc.

The Keermont Single Vineyard Series was created to high light the superb quality and individual character of the wines produced from certain vineyard parcels on the farm. These parcels have been registered as Single Vineyards with the South African Wine Industry Information & Systems NPC (SAWIS) and wines labelled as such may not contain wine made from any other vineyard. The production of each wine is therefore very limited. We do not bottle these wines every year.

Tasting notes: 

This wine has a pink purple hue. Typical herbal aromas are complimented by strawberries and red candy. The palate is intense with bright red fruit flavors complimented by hints of sherbet, red peppers and black currant. The tannin structure is tight and grippy and a strong central acid core gives the wine a long powerful dry finish. Drink 2018-2030.

High up on the west-facing slopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain, this is a 1.81 Hectares (4.5 acres) parcel of Cabernet Franc planted in 2006. At an elevation of 380 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountain "fynbos", 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 allows Keermont to produce an intense wine with unique flavors and a solid tannin structure.

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 French oak barrels before being bottled by hand without filtration.

Review:

"Sourced from the top two terraces of the vineyard up near the reservoir, this single parcel Cabernet Franc reveals good typicity and impressive depth of plum and dark cherry fruit. Creamy, lush texture on a full bodied palate with fine firm tannins. Matured 20 months in used French oak. The name means hut (pondok) on the ridge (rug) in Afrikaans."- International Wine Review (January 2019), 93 pts

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (August 2018), 91 pts

"The 2015 Keermont Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Cottage Lane Vineyard, located at 300 meters above sea level. It was picked in small batches that underwent strict sorting and spent two to three weeks on the skins. It then matured for 22 months in 225-liter French oak barrels (10% to 15% new) before being bottled by hand without filtration. It has a tightly wound bouquet at first, presenting blackberry, bilberry, cedar and light damp undergrowth scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and mint- and cedar-tinged black fruit on the entry, building toward a nicely structured, quite sappy finish. It doesn’t quite deliver the panache of its Syrah counterpart, but it is a fine Cabernet Sauvignon all the same. - Neal Martin"- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (August 2018), 91 pts

Keermont Steepside Syrah is made from This is an intense wine with a bright scarlet colour. Pure grapey aromas are complimented by red spices, herbs and lavender. The palate has a gentle entry with subtle spicy fruit flavors filling the mid palate. The tight structure gives the wine a succulent dry finish with lingering flavours of red fruit, anise, liquorice and a mineral saltiness. Drink 2020-2030.

All grapes used in producing our wines are grown on Keermont Vineyards. Small parcels of grapes are selected according to optimal ripeness and harvested by hand. The grapes are vinified gently and naturally following traditional techniques.

Review:

"The 2015 Steepside Syrah comes from vines at around 350 meters above sea level, from similar clonal material to the Topside but on deep clay/loam soils, while the vines are oriented to the north. It spent 20 months maturing in seasoned 225- and 500-liter French oak barrels before being bottled by hand without filtration. This has a more fruit-forward bouquet than the Topside, featuring small red cherries, raspberry, briar and light cassis scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin and crisp acidity, quite compact at the moment and probably deserving around 18 to 24 months in bottle. Good potential here, although the Topside offers the elegance and sophistication this year. - Neal Martin"

- Vinous  (August 29th 2018), 92 pts

"The 2015 Steepside Syrah gives classic notes of blackberry, cassis and plum skin, with a structuring mineral tone reminiscent of dust—almost ashy—and lingers in the glass with hints of black pepper. The palate is dry and focused with a bright, structured core and mineral tension to the mid-palate, finishing with lingering soft, smoky spices. Only 2,571 bottles were made. - Anthony Mueller"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #245, October 2019), 92 pts

"If Topside is Alex Starey’s Côte Rôtie, then Steepside is his Cornas, a hotter, north-facing site that produces dense, ferrous, almost bloody Syrah. This is grippy and firm with layers of tannin and firm, intense dark berry fruit. 2020-30"

- Tim Atkin (South Africa 2018 Special Report), 95 pts

All the grapes come from their Cottage Lane Vineyard on the mid-slopes of the Helderberg. This vineyard is situated on the crest of a ridge (320m above sea level) so has aspects ranging from East through North to West. It is very exposed resulting in small vines with low yields. This has allowed them to make a relatively fine grained Cabernet, but the clay soils translate to a wine with power, tension and fresh acidity.

Rich crimson red color. The nose is a complex mix of savoury notes: crushed herbs, violets, sandalwood, leather and some lovely bright red fruit. The palate is fine and yet powerful. Lush spicy red fruit is complimented by blueberry and bramble notes. Powerful tight-knit tannin and a very linear acidity afford the wine a long succulent finish. Drink 2017-2030

All grapes used in producing their 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 22 months maturing in 225 Litre French oak barrels before being bottled by hand without filtration. They produced just 3654 bottles. The wine was bottle matured in the Keermont cellar for a further 18 months before release.

Review:

- Wine Enthusiast (September 2020), 93 pts

Alexandre Monmousseau Gaudrelle Vouvray Reserve Personelle is made from 100 percent Chenin Blanc

Fine Chenin Blanc typicity, with aromas of ripe apples and honeyed notes. Rich, smooth, rounded palate with great structure and weight. Has the acidity to support ageing for 10 years.

Busi Chianti Rufina 2012 (Half Bottle) is made from 100% Sangiovese.

Fresh, fruity, with classic tart cherry.

Appearance: ruby-red in color.
Aroma: clean, floral notes.
Flavor: well structured and harmonic on the palate; easy drinking with a soft and lingering finish. Ageing potential: 10/15 years.

Production area: amidst the hills of Pelago in the Chianti Rufina D.O.C.G. area, with a soil composition of marly, calcareous clay as typically found in the Arno valley east of Florence.

Aspect: south-facing.
Altitude: 200/350 m above sea level.

Cultivation method: spurred cordon.
Harvest period: from the 20th of September until the middle of October.
Vinification: the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature (26/28°C) for 10 days before racking and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. After fermentation the wine is put into wooden barrels.

Fermentation in stainless steel at controlled temperatures for 7 to 8 days, with an additional 3 to 4 days on the skins. The wine is then racked and goes through malolactic. It is then racked again and stays another 7 months in stainless steel.

Adapts well to both light and more substantial dishes.