Keermont Red Blend 2013

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

A polished light yellow gold colour, this wine has a bouquet of citrus blossom with hazelnut, lemon grass and butterscotch undertones. The wine has a soft sweet entry with a racy linear acidity. Ripe citrus and stone fruit flavours evolve into a lovely lingering dry earthy finish. This is a textured white wine with layers of flavour.  

   Review:

"Subtle bouquet of orange blossom, cling peach, and beeswax. Taut and focused, revealing dried orange peel and apricot pit on a dense, mineral like palate. Sourced from the oldest vineyard on the farm, planted in 1971-2, it’s a selection of the best 500L barrels. About 250 cs produced. 13.5% alc."- International Wine Review (January 2019), 93 pts

"From vines planted at 250m next to the Blaauwklippen River back in 1971, this undemonstrative but utterly convincing Chenin needs a little time in the glass to unfold, like a fern in spring. When it does, you’ll find classic wet stone and apple aromas with a lick of honey. The palate is intense, deep and stony, subtle in articulation with a beeswax richness haunting its orchard fruit, while its vinosity brings food-friendliness. It's hard to better this for purity and classicism. Drinking Window 2019 - 2023."- Decanter (February 2019), 93 pts

Keermont White Blend is made from 39% Chenin Blanc (34% Riverside parcel - 26% Low Road Parcel and 5% Bobbejaan parcel), 34% Sauvignon Blanc (Uitkyk parcel), 14% Viognier (Cottage Lane parcel) and 13% Chardonnay (Low Road Parcel).

A polished light yellow gold color, this wine has a bouquet of citrus blossom with hazelnut, lemon grass and butterscotch undertones. The wine has a soft sweet entry with a racy linear acidity. Ripe citrus and stone fruit flavours evolve into a lovely lingering dry earthy finish. This is a textured white wine with layers of flavour. 

"The 2016 Keermont Terrasse underwent a little skin contact and was barrel-fermented in 225- and 500-liter barrels with around 10% new oak for 12 months. It has a fresh bouquet of white peach, honeysuckle and a touch of melted candle wax. The palate is well balanced, considering that Alex Starey said it was the first vintage that endured drought problems (hence the higher percentage of Sauvignon Blanc), offering grass clipping, gooseberry and nettle toward the finish. Very fine. - Neal Martin"

- Vinous (August 28th 2018), 90 pts

"Always a crowd pleaser, the Terrasse shows very appealing white stone fruit, lemon curd and floral scents. Softly textured with good backbone and firm acidity complementing riper stone fruit and citrus flavors. A blend of 39% Chenin Blanc, 34% Sauvignon blanc, 14% Viognier and 13% Chardonnay fermented and aged in used 500L barrels for 12 months. Lees stirred only during fermentation then left to sit on the lees.13% alc."

- International Wine Review (January 2019), 91 pts

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

SALE!

The 2014 vintage is the maiden release of Cabernet Sauvignon from Keermont Vineyards. 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.

VINTAGE REPORT
The season’s winter was generally mild, but became cold and wet towards spring time. Keermont experienced record rainfall and even snow on the mountains during August 2013. This allowed for good vine growth during the spring, but also increased the mildew pressure and resulted in an unusually large insect population. Fortunately neither of these had a major impact on our crop. Our soils stayed moist throughout the growing season thanks to moderate temperatures and we hardly had to irrigate at all before harvest. A series of heat waves in early February jolted us into harvest action. The vines, which had been very nurtured by all the moisture, suddenly started to show some signs of stress and we needed to pick quite a few of the blocks over a short period. The favourable growing conditions contributed to a healthy crop of 150 tons for Keermont Vineyards.

ANALYSIS
Alc: 15.0 %
pH: 3.69
TA: 5.58g/L
RS: 1.72 g/L TSO2: 63 mg/L VA: 0.82 g/L

Review:

"This is the first vintage of this varietal Cabernet, grown on red clay loam soils at 300 metres. The vines are still quite young, but it’s a superb début, with subdued oak, savoury, perfumed top notes, fine-grained tannins and pure cassis and wild herb flavours. One to watch. 2019-25."

- Tim Atkin (South Africa 2017 Special Report), 93 pts

"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a new addition to the Keermont range. It comes from a single, low-yielding block, although it will not be labelled as such, from loamy soils around 300 meters above sea level. Most of the maturation is in 225-liter barrels with around 20% new oak. It has a straightforward bouquet, perhaps not quite as personality-driven as the Cabernet Franc at the moment, but developing pleasing graphite/pencil box scents with time. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, good body and presence in the mouth with that graphite theme continuing from the aromatics. Well balanced and harmonious towards the finish, I would afford this a couple of years in bottle to develop more varietal character. - Neal Martin"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #230, April 2017), 91 pts

Corne Loup Cotes du Rhone Rouge  is made from 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre.

Color: dark red ruby.
Aromas: red berries, truffles and spices.
Flavors: complex and rich. It shows red and black fruits, with an herbal spice type of aromas coming from the surrounding vegetation (Garrigue).

The average age of the vines is 40 years. (The oldest vines are 80 years old). Yield: 40 hl/ha The soil is mainly sandy marl and small pebble stones.

Lamb, duck, turkey, red meat, game and cheese.