Chris’ fourth release of Atlas has been renamed as Climes of Cabernet Franc and we have to say it is drop dead gorgeous. Produced from a handful of carefully selected vineyards across the Western Cape, this exhibits Cabernet Franc in all its beauty. With attractive hints of green peppercorn, liquorice, polished coffee bean, forest floor and lavender. There are layers and layers to this wine that keeps evolving in the glass. The black cherry fruit is very pure on the palate, but somewhat darker and mysterious and with very good weight. It slides over the palate like silk, concentrated yet fresh, and just a little herbal tone on the long finish. Delicious and very grown up.

#Tasting#

It’s thanks to Alex Starey of Keermont estate that we had the introduction to up-and-coming young winemaker, Chris Keet Jnr of Weather Report. Whilst his day job sees him working at Bot River Gabrielskloof estate, Weather Report is his small-production own label, so far solely exploring Cabernet Franc from a handful of tiny sites across the Western Cape. Wine positively flows in Chris’ veins. His uncle is Chris Keet of Keet wines, formerly winemaker at former SA icon, Cordoba. He made the 1995 vintage of their Crescendo,one of South Africa’s first cult wines.