Keermont Syrah 2017

In 2003, the Wraith family, originally from Gauteng, bought two adjacent farms which today make up Keermont Vineyards.  The vineyards are situated high up in the Blaauwklippen Valley, otherwise known as Paradyskloof (paradise gorge). Some vineyards are on the warmer north-facing Helderberg slopes and others on the cooler west-facing Stellenbosch range. The altitude climbs 200m within the 1.7km length of the farm and the vineyards are planted between 250m and 400m above sea level. Guardian Peak towers over the farm on its eastern side, resulting in a much later sunrise than in the rest of the area. This effect, combined with the altitude at the top of the valley, results in very cool night-time and morning temperatures which are excellent for the slow ripening of the grapes. The cool south-east breeze that blows off the Atlantic Ocean during summer also helps to keep afternoon temperatures fairly moderate. The soils are generally a deep, rich, red loam and are rich in iron, minerals and organic matter with a good water-holding capacity due to their clay content.