2024 Beaumont Hope Marguerite Chenin Blanc

The Beaumont Family Wines 2024 Bot River Chenin Blanc Hope Marguerite, named after winemaker Sebastian Beaumont’s grandmother, is the more contemplative sister to the fresh, unwooded Chenin in this portfolio. Originally conceived as a barrel reserve and now firmly established as a flagship white, it is one of the earliest wooded Chenins from this area, shaped by a long learning process that has gradually reined in oak to its current balance, with just 15% new oak. The wine is fully fermented in barrel and shows a softer, more fleshed-out profile, with saline notes, subtle orchard fruit and a notably dry finish. The winemaking philosophy deliberately avoids the waxy character Chenin can develop, instead favoring clarity, freshness and a finely etched, textural frame. 94 points