One person’s loss is another’s bread. It is an Afrikaans saying that neatly explains how the Grenache vineyard came to be planted on De Keur farm in the Koue Bokkeveld.
In 2015, David and Jeannette Clarke identified what they believed could be an exceptional vineyard site on De Keur, 45 kilometres north of Ceres. The Du Toit family has grown apples, pears and nectarines here for generations, but the farm did not have enough water to establish another orchard.
That limitation created an opportunity. Grenache is naturally drought-resistant, making it a sensible choice for a dry-land vineyard where apple or pear trees could not be planted. The wine-loving Du Toit family agreed, and the first vines went into the ground in 2017.
It is a vineyard that has had to fight for its place.
The 2.9-hectare vineyard sits at 1,050 metres above sea level, making it South Africa’s highest planted Grenache.
Planted on clay-rich Bokkeveld Shale, the west-facing site slopes down the Tierberg mountain and looks out across kilometres of fertile apple farms. Its position gives the vineyard long afternoon sunlight, helping the grapes ripen steadily in the cool Koue Bokkeveld climate.
A near-constant breeze helps protect the vines against spring frost and reduces disease pressure during the growing season. The altitude also creates a large difference between daytime and night-time temperatures.
As Jeannette’s late father, Gys du Toit, used to say: “You always need a duvet in the Koue Bokkeveld.”
Those cold nights are particularly important. They allow the grapes to retain their natural acidity as they ripen, producing the kind of low pH and vibrant freshness that winemakers dream about.
The first grapes were harvested in 2022. De Keur Grenache 2024 is only the third vintage from this young vineyard, but the site is already developing a clear character.
Keeping it simple in the cellar
Winemaker Lukas van Loggerenberg takes a restrained approach in the winery, allowing the vineyard to do most of the talking.
For the 2024 vintage, 25% of the grapes were fermented as whole bunches, followed by two weeks of maceration. The wine was then matured in old 300-litre and 500-litre French oak barrels.
No commercial yeast, enzymes or fining agents were added.
Because of the vineyard’s naturally high acidity and low pH, the wine does not need to be rushed. De Keur is released roughly a year later than many of its peers, giving it more time to settle and come together before bottling.
A label that grows with the vineyard
The name Ex Animo means “from the heart”, and the label takes that meaning literally.
Its design is based on New Wine, an artwork by Lenka Kühn that David and Jeannette commissioned in 2017. The line drawing depicts an anatomical human heart formed from elements of grapevines.
To reflect the youth and gradual development of the vineyard, they planned for the artwork to evolve over the wine’s first five vintages.
Small elements have been added to the drawing with every release. The 2024 label is the third stage of that evolution, with the completed version due to be revealed from the 2026 vintage onwards.
The wine opens with the perfumed floral and rose-petal character that is becoming a signature of this vineyard. There is red and black cherry, a distinctive touch of apricot and savoury notes of fynbos, menthol and earth.
The palate has real concentration and power, but it never feels heavy. Bright natural acidity keeps the wine fresh and precise, while firm tannins give it the structure to develop further in the bottle.
Christian Eedes of Winemag.co.za awarded the wine 94 points, describing it as more concentrated and powerful than the 2023 vintage, with “excellent freshness” and tannins that suggest it will benefit from further cellaring.
De Keur Grenache | The Third Vintage
'De Keur' Grenache 2024
“Die een se dood is die ander se brood.”
One person’s loss is another’s bread. It is an Afrikaans saying that neatly explains how the Grenache vineyard came to be planted on De Keur farm in the Koue Bokkeveld.
In 2015, David and Jeannette Clarke identified what they believed could be an exceptional vineyard site on De Keur, 45 kilometres north of Ceres. The Du Toit family has grown apples, pears and nectarines here for generations, but the farm did not have enough water to establish another orchard.
That limitation created an opportunity. Grenache is naturally drought-resistant, making it a sensible choice for a dry-land vineyard where apple or pear trees could not be planted. The wine-loving Du Toit family agreed, and the first vines went into the ground in 2017.
It is a vineyard that has had to fight for its place.
The 2.9-hectare vineyard sits at 1,050 metres above sea level, making it South Africa’s highest planted Grenache.
Planted on clay-rich Bokkeveld Shale, the west-facing site slopes down the Tierberg mountain and looks out across kilometres of fertile apple farms. Its position gives the vineyard long afternoon sunlight, helping the grapes ripen steadily in the cool Koue Bokkeveld climate.
A near-constant breeze helps protect the vines against spring frost and reduces disease pressure during the growing season. The altitude also creates a large difference between daytime and night-time temperatures.
As Jeannette’s late father, Gys du Toit, used to say: “You always need a duvet in the Koue Bokkeveld.”
Those cold nights are particularly important. They allow the grapes to retain their natural acidity as they ripen, producing the kind of low pH and vibrant freshness that winemakers dream about.
The first grapes were harvested in 2022. De Keur Grenache 2024 is only the third vintage from this young vineyard, but the site is already developing a clear character.
Keeping it simple in the cellar
Winemaker Lukas van Loggerenberg takes a restrained approach in the winery, allowing the vineyard to do most of the talking.
For the 2024 vintage, 25% of the grapes were fermented as whole bunches, followed by two weeks of maceration. The wine was then matured in old 300-litre and 500-litre French oak barrels.
No commercial yeast, enzymes or fining agents were added.
Because of the vineyard’s naturally high acidity and low pH, the wine does not need to be rushed. De Keur is released roughly a year later than many of its peers, giving it more time to settle and come together before bottling.
A label that grows with the vineyard
The name Ex Animo means “from the heart”, and the label takes that meaning literally.
Its design is based on New Wine, an artwork by Lenka Kühn that David and Jeannette commissioned in 2017. The line drawing depicts an anatomical human heart formed from elements of grapevines.
To reflect the youth and gradual development of the vineyard, they planned for the artwork to evolve over the wine’s first five vintages.
Small elements have been added to the drawing with every release. The 2024 label is the third stage of that evolution, with the completed version due to be revealed from the 2026 vintage onwards.
Like the vineyard, it is still finding its shape.
R310.00Add to basket
Ex Animo 'De Keur' Grenache 2024
The wine opens with the perfumed floral and rose-petal character that is becoming a signature of this vineyard. There is red and black cherry, a distinctive touch of apricot and savoury notes of fynbos, menthol and earth.
The palate has real concentration and power, but it never feels heavy. Bright natural acidity keeps the wine fresh and precise, while firm tannins give it the structure to develop further in the bottle.
Christian Eedes of Winemag.co.za awarded the wine 94 points, describing it as more concentrated and powerful than the 2023 vintage, with “excellent freshness” and tannins that suggest it will benefit from further cellaring.
Enjoy!
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