Hope Marguerite Chenin Blanc 2023

Located in the Bot River Valley, in the heart of the Walker Bay wine region of the Western Cape, Beaumont Family Wines benefits from a cool maritime climate tempered by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The Chenin Blanc vines are planted in ancient soils of decomposed schist and clay, providing natural drainage and good water retention. This rolling terroir, exposed to ocean breezes, allows for a slow ripening of the grapes, preserving the freshness, tension, and mineral expression characteristic of this wine.

The Chenin Blanc grapes are hand-harvested from the estate's oldest vines and then gently pressed as whole bunches. The must is transferred directly into French oak barrels, mostly previously used for several vintages, where fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged on its fine lees in barrels for several months, with gentle stirring to preserve the wine's natural tension while adding volume and aromatic complexity, before bottling without excessive filtration.

This wine reveals notes of ripe apple , juicy pear , and quince , complemented by floral touches of white flowers and honeysuckle . Subtle nuances of honey , sweet spices , and a light toasty character from oak aging add complexity and depth. On the palate, the texture is creamy yet lifted by lively acidity , with a pronounced mineral backbone and a long, precise, and mouthwatering 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.