Beaumont Chenin and Cool Climate Finesse

In the second of a two part series on South African wine, Mark and Jessica catch up with Sebastian Beaumont of Beaumont Family Wines in the Bot River, which is part of Walker Bay in the South of the Western Cape.  Located very close to the coast and benefiting from the cooling affect of the 'Cape Doctor' winds, Sebastian's family farm has been a beacon of wines in the area, perhaps most famous for their 'wooden' chenin called Hope Marguerite (named after Sebastian's Grandmother).  Sebastian talks of the time when he doubled down on Chenin Blanc and some of the new varieties, such as Mourvedre, that are turning winemakers' heads in the area.  Don't miss the new icon blends, Vitruvian and New Baby, that are just starting to come into the US. Before our conversation with Sebastian, Mark connects with Jessica via zoom to get an update on her month long journey in Spain.  She's been steeped in Cider and day trips to various wine regions including Alsace. Useful links: Wine Spectator article on South African wine cited by Mark: https://www.winespectator.com/articles/the-promise-of-south-africa-073123 Beaumont Family Wines