Cape Winemakers Guild

Keermont’s Passion-Driven Winemaker

Alex Starey

“I very much enjoy the harvest time. It’s a great time of year when the grapes are coming in, and you are jumping into tanks and shovelling them out and getting down and dirty. I really enjoy the physical side of the job; that’s really where I love to be.”

Following a BSc in viticulture and oenology at Stellenbosch University, Alex headed straight to Chile for four months to do a harvest in Maipú, then to Spain for the first of two stints in Penedès and Priorat. It was here that he was introduced to the concept of fine wine being made from small batches of grapes.

This led him to De Trafford winery for the 2004 vintage, during which he met the new owners of the neighbouring property now known as Keermont Vineyards. Fortunately they were looking for someone to help them plant vineyards to supply grapes to the cellars in the area and he was offered a job. Fast-forward to the present day and they now make about 50 to 60 000 bottles of wine a year at Keermont Vineyards, with the wines receiving accolades in the likes of The Wine Advocate, Decanter magazine, Vineous.com, and Tim Atkin MW’s annual review of the South African wine industry.

When he’s not with his family or at work, he will be driving the length of coast to find good waves to surf, fishing at the mouth of the Breede River, or happily turning a chop on the braai with some good music playing and a glass of interesting wine in hand.

  • +27 21 884 4656
  • alex@keermont.co.za
  • www.keermont.co.za
  • Stellenbosch Appellation

Auctioned Wines

Keermont Vineyards Where Mountains Meet – Red Blend 2021

Auction Year: 2023

Keermont Vineyards Where Mountains Meet – Red Blend 2021

60% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch

  • Where Mountains Meet is a uniquely crafted blend of varieties grown on Keermont Vineyards. We ignored traditional blending ideology and married the best possible components to create a wine with depth, complexity and the upmost elegance.
  • This is a blend of a barrel of each of our single vineyard parcels, namely Steepside Syrah, Topside Syrah, Pondokrug Cabernet Franc, and a drop of Cabernet Sauvignon to marry them all together.
  • This wine was grown, produced, and bottled at Keermont Vineyards.
  • Minimal intervention and traditional winemaking practices were used.
  • A first time wine for Alex Starey on the CWG Auction.

Tasting Notes: A sweet floral nose with ripe red fruit and a hint of dustiness. The palate has a delicate entry with fresh acidity and a tight tannin structure, complementing the rich, complex array of berry flavours.

Ready for drinking from 2024 to 2036.

Winemaker: Alex Starey

Price raised per case

  • 6 x 750ml or equivalent
  • Highest: R 12 500
  • Lowest: R 8 000
  • Average: R 9 711

Packaging

  • Bottle Size 750ml
  • Case Size: 6 x 750ml
  • Cases Produced: 55
  • Cases Auctioned: 38

Analysis

  • Alc: 14.84 vol%
  • RS: 1.4 g/l
  • TA: 5.5 g/l
  • pH: 3.59

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