Far Side Mourvèdre 2021

Located in Bot River, in the cool Walker Bay region of the Western Cape, Beaumont Family Wines cultivates its vines on hillsides exposed to the maritime influences of the Atlantic Ocean. The soils are primarily composed of decomposed schist and clay, providing natural drainage and good water retention. This terroir, tempered by ocean breezes, allows for a slow and even ripening of the Mourvèdre grapes, preserving the natural freshness of the fruit while developing a beautiful aromatic concentration and a balanced structure.

The Mourvèdre grapes are hand-harvested from selected plots on the estate, then sorted before careful destemming. Fermentation takes place in open vats with regular pump-overs to gently extract color, tannins, and aromas. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is transferred to oak barrels, where it ages for several months to gain complexity, refine its structure, and integrate the tannins, before bottling at the estate.

This wine reveals notes of ripe black fruit , plum , and black cherry , enhanced by spicy touches of black pepper and garrigue , as well as delicate floral nuances and subtle oak. On the palate, it is full-bodied and structured, supported by fine tannins , fresh acidity , and a supple texture that lingers into a long and flavorful finish .

The first grape vines were planted in South Africa by Dutch settlers in the 1650s, although wine production did not really take off until the arrival of French Protestants in the 1680s with their skills and knowledge of viticulture. Stellenbosch is also a historic wine region, with the first vineyards being planted there in the 1690s. Today, South Africa is one of the most important wine producing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. With over 300 years of winemaking history, it is often described as a bridge between the Old and New Worlds. The majority of wines are produced using New World winemaking techniques, but they often share more in common stylistically with their Old World counterparts. Since the end of apartheid, South African wine has received international attention and acclaim for its wide variety of styles. South Africa's wine industry is spread across the lush and rugged landscape of the Western Cape. Here, the abundance of mountains, valleys and plateaus allows winemakers to produce a wide variety of styles. Vineyards are also found in the Orange River region of the Northern Cape, where the flat, arid landscape is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Most of South Africa's wine regions have a Mediterranean climate, heavily influenced by the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The country's signature grape variety is Pinotage, an indigenous cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault that is rarely found in quantity in other wine-producing countries. Shiraz (Syrah) is also widely planted, as are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (often combined in a Bordeaux blend). South African Chardonnay, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc have become popular internationally in recent years.