Keermont Merlot Stellenbosch 2019

Description

Keermont make wines that reflect the beautiful place from which they come and the particular year’s vintage conditions. The wines are made as naturally as possible with very little irrigation in the vineyards and minimal intervention in the winery.

The estate has been owned by the Wraith family since 2003. 2005 saw the start of a major vineyard-planting programme on lands that had been fallow for a number of years. 17 hectares were planted over four years to add to an existing eight hectares of older vineyards. Keermont’s official maiden vintage came in 2007.

The farm is situated high up in the picturesque Blaauwklippen Valley, otherwise known as Paradyskloof (Paradise Valley). Due to the steepness of the terrain, the altitude climbs 200m within the 1.7km length of the farm and the vineyards are planted between 250m and 400m above sea level. Thus the vines planted over these different terrains ultimately produce wines with good complexity and a variety of flavours. In addition, the proximity to False Bay and the Indian Ocean also moderates the climate in the vineyard.

The Keermont Merlot 2017 uses only the best estate Merlot fruit from vineyard parcels between 250m and 400m above sea level in the valley between the Stellenbosch and Helderberg mountain ranges. Small batches of grapes are specifically selected according to ripeness, harvested by hand and vinified separately. The wine then spends 20 months maturing in seasoned French oak before being bottled by hand.