Bringing
the mountain to Mohammed? No, wines to the wine trade
Keermont’s
Vineyards are beautifully maintained, produce very good wines and are up, up,
up high in Paradyskloof (Paradise Valley) with vineyards 250m to 400m above sea
level. They realised that it is often difficult for the wine trade to get to
them, so they came to town last week and brought their new releases with them. They
held a small open tasting all day in their Kloof Street offices and we grasped
this opportunity to taste these classy wines
They even interrupted their lunch to accommodate
us. We began with the 2015 Riverside Chenin Blanc, with a lovely acid fruit
balance and long flavours of loquats, lemons and peaches. 2014 had 4 1/2 stars
in Platter
Alex Starey, who is the winemaker at Keermont,
took us through the tasting
They have two Shiraz vineyards which face each
other on opposite slopes of the mountain, where the soils are different, the
climate is different and they use trellis on one side and stok by paaltjie (Sur Échalas, not much
more than a bush or goblet vine with a pole - See more at: http://www.wosa.co.za/WOSA-News/Blogs/Cape-Chatter/Stok-by-paaltjie/#sthash.qdOG11zz.dpuf) for the
other. The Topside 2014 on sandstone rocks and screed on the warmer
north-facing Helderberg slope has cherries and expensive wood with violets on
the nose. Soft and silky on the palate with liquorice and salt beneath
mulberries and cherries. The Steepside 2014 (stok by paaltjie, on the cooler
west-facing Stellenbosch range) is on clay and has spice on the nose with chewy
butter toffee, salt, dark berries, Indian spices and toast on the end. all
these wines have between 5 and 10% new oak and only 2 or 3 barrels are made
from the single vineyard wines
We enjoyed the convivial tasting with the owner Mark
Wraith, in his offices
Then the Pondok Rug Cabernet Franc. Savoury as
expected with umami and green notes with black olives. Also soft and silky red
fruit with chalky tannins and with grip and Cherry, cassis sweet sour fruit.
One to keep and watch
The flagship Keermont Estate Reserve 2012 is a
blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Syrah,
made in good French oak. Cassis first on the nose, then smoke, violets and
roses, very fragrant. Soft and full of fruit. The promise on the nose is
fulfilled, it is avery satisfying and elegant blend, and the perfume remains on
the palate. We also tasted the 2013 Keermont Syrah with green cassis leaves and
soft liquorice, warm dark berry spicy fruit, a food wine
Wietske Rubow of Cybercellar joined the tasting
One we have always liked, the Terrace, a white
blend of Chenin Blanc from a 43 year old un-irrigated vineyard called
'Riverside', with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Full to bursting
with lemon and peach, it’s a succulent mouthful of ripe summer grapes, a food
wine, very refreshing to quaff or serve with food
And finally the Rosé which is caramel toffee apple
on the red nose, both full and dry. It’s kept on the lees for 6 to 8 months and
has richness. The dessert wine, Keermont Fleurfontein, is pure honey with limes. It is intensely sweet, 212 gm sugar per litre, with sour red cherry, dark ripe
cassis
What a great tasting of such carefully made wines
© John & Lynne
Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016
