De Keur Grenache

Pairs beautifully with grilled lamb, roast chicken, Mediterranean vegetable dishes and charcuterie. Its bright acidity and gentle tannins also complement tomato-based dishes and lightly spiced cuisine.

The 2.9 hectare vineyard is situated 1060 metres above sea level north of Ceres in the Koue Bokkeveld on my wife’s family’s farm, De Keur. This isolated vineyard is on a west-facing slope that can not be irrigated (otherwise there would be apples and pears planted). The project started in 2015 when our friend Chris Alheit contacted us about planting a vineyard on this slope. He was scouting the Koue Bokkeveld for possible sites to plant to grapes. The vines were sourced in 2016 by Rosa Kruger, but due to the drought we kept the stokkies dormant in a cool room and planted in 2017 ahead of the winter rains. We selected 4 clones of Grenache Noir, mostly the old GN70 clone, and a mix of the (then) new 513, 516 and 1064 clones.

We are David (originally from Australia) and Jeannette (born and bred SA) Clarke; both qualified sommeliers with decades of international wine experience who are passionate about food and wine. We work with and represent an exclusive group of producers who are passionate about vineyards and aspire to reflect them in the cellar. Ex Animo is both a wine distributor and a wine merchant. From 2014 to 2020 Ex Animo was strictly a wholesale distribution business, supplying high-end retail and fine dining restaurants. In the second half of 2020 we acquired a retail liquor licence, this has since enabled us to set up an online wine store and organise events such as tastings, dinners and seminars. Imports were added in 2022. Ex Animo means “from the heart” in Latin and is at the centre of everything we do. We believe passion and the artistry that accompanies it are a huge part of what separates good producers from the great.