2017 Syrah Single Vineyard Series Topside

It was a tip-off from Robert Parker during my first trip to the Cape that prompted me to visit Keermont. Winemaker Alex Starey, who started in 2007, is the driving force behind one of the finest producers in Stellenbosch, tucked down in the Blaauwklippen Valley. After he had given me what must be the most convincing argument about why I should risk my life on a surfboard, Starey outlined the developments since I last visited. “We have replaced a couple of virus-ed older blocks,” he replied. “But there’s been no change in the winemaking. I feel that the vineyards are maturing nicely and nowadays showing more character, developing more natural acidity and lose that youthful puppy fat. We are experimenting with more sustainable techniques in the vineyard, eliminating use of herbicides, planting clover to compete with weeds. The clovers grow up until Christmas and then die off when the soils are dry. In the winery, we have never inoculated and use natural acids.” Starey is one of several that told me the pandemic actually saw a boost in domestic sales, at least when permitted by authorities. Readers should note that Keermont tend to release their red wines late, so the focus here was upon vintages between 2016 and 2019, the whites more recent. These are wonderful wines that reflect their respective vintages, studded with numerous highs such as the 2017 Topside Syrah and 2016 Amphitheatre, not forgetting one of the Cape’s finest sweet wines: their Fleurfontein. Keermont has built a loyal following Stateside for good reason.