Winery Spotlight Series: May 2024

Posted on April 23, 2024 by mcginnessalex

Winery Spotlight Wine Tasting
Thelema Mountain Vineyards
Stellenbosch, South Africa

May 2024

Join us for a wine tasting event featuring Thelema Mountain Vineyards Wines from South Africa! We will be sharing the seven wines below; to reserve a spot and attend the wine tasting, please contact your local participating WineStyles store, or reserve your tickets on Eventbrite.

Wines Tasted:

Thelema Mountain White
Thelema Chardonnay
Thelema Mountain Red
Thelema Shiraz
Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon
Thelema Rabelais
Thelema ‘Vin de Hel’ Muscat Late Harvest

About Thelema Mountain Vineyards:
After leaving his accounting career to become a winemaker Gyles Webb and the McLeans, his in-laws, purchased Thelema in 1983. The manor house was restored and the first wines under the Thelema label were released in 1988. By the mid 1990’s, their wines sold out within a month of release, making it one of the most sought-after wine estates in South Africa. The Webb family describe Thelema as “one of the most beautiful places on earth”. Situated on the southeastern side of the Simonsberg Mountain, with elevations 1739 feet above sea level and mainly south-facing slopes, Thelema Mountain Vineyards possesses some of the highest elevations in Stellenbosch, South Africa. These high altitudes and the rich red soils are ideal for premium quality wine grape production. The Webb family believes grape quality is the single most important factor in serious winemaking; their policy is one of minimum interference, allowing the wines to be a true expression of each vineyard.

Thelema Mountain Vineyards light Thelema Mountain Vineyards’ crest showcases a phoenix. This sacred phoenix appears in ancient Arabian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese and Indian mythology, but it also symbolizes the birth of Thelema since it is present on both sides of the families. The McLeans owned the Phoenix Garden Hotel in Kimberley, and there is a phoenix on the Webb family crest. To learn more about the family winery and their history, click here.

Let’s Taste, Learn and Enjoy® together!

Contact your local participating WineStyles to RSVP for this tasting event.

Winery Spotlight Wine Tasting
Thelema Mountain Vineyards
May 2024

Cheers!

WineStyles.com

Winery Spotlight Series: April 2024

Posted on March 25, 2024 by mcginnessalex

Winery Spotlight Wine Tasting
Hope Family Wines
Paso Robles, California

April 2024

We’re thrilled to introduce these wines to you! Last September, we had the opportunity to visit the Austin Hope Winery − part of Hope Family Wines − during our annual WineStyles conference in Paso Robles. We had the pleasure of sampling their fantastic range of wines. Now, we invite you to join us for the Hope Family Wines Winery Spotlight tasting event, where we’ll be showcasing five of their remarkable wines. Please join us!

Wines Tasted:

Austin Chardonnay
Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon
Austin Cabernet Sauvignon
Liberty School Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Troublemaker Blend 16

To reserve a table and attend the wine tasting, please contact your local participating WineStyles store, or reserve your tickets on Eventbrite.

About Hope Family Wines:
In 1978, Austin Hope’s family settled in Paso Robles, establishing vineyards and apple orchards. Unaware of Paso Robles’ future as a premier wine growing region, they continued farming. Today, Hope Family Wines thrives with six distinct brands: Liberty School, Treana, Quest, Austin Hope, Troublemaker, and the newest addition, Austin. Recognitions include Austin Hope being named the 2019 “Wine Person of the Year” by Paso Robles, their 2017 Austin Hope label ranking #10 on Wine Enthusiast’s “Top 100 Enthusiast Wines of the World,” and their recent accolade as Wine Enthusiast’s American Winery of the Year in 2022. Learn more about their story here.

Sustainability:
Hope Family Wines is committed to sustainable growing practices that promote vine health, improve wine quality, and ensure that growers remain profitable. The number of tractor passes is kept to a minimum, protecting the integrity of the root structures and avoiding compacting the soil. Hope Family Wines works actively with the Central Coast Vineyard Team to promote best practices in the vineyards. They also use self-assessment tools put together by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers to gauge progress and identify areas for improvement over time. This multi-pronged approach to growing, from winter pruning through fall harvest, ensures we use only the finest grapes for each of our labels.

SIP Certified:
Chuck and Austin Hope believe their stewardship of their estate vineyard reaches far beyond the vineyard rows to ensure the ecosystem thrives. They’ve created wildlife corridors so the native quail, deer and maybe a wild boar or two, can pass through the vineyard. Their estate vineyards are SIP Certified ensuring they focus on preservation and protection of natural and human resources. Learn more about their sustainability efforts >

About Austin Hope – Winemaker & President:
Austin Hope began his journey in Paso Robles in 1978 when his family acquired a ranch. Assigned to work in the vineyards as punishment by his father, Chuck Hope, a young Austin surprised everyone by embracing the task at just eight years old. While studying Fruit Science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in California, Austin’s family laid the groundwork for Treana Winery. When his uncle passed away in 1996, Chuck turned to Austin to lead the business. Teaming up with winemaker Chris Phelps, Austin ventured into producing red table wine from Paso Robles, then a lesser-known region. His boldness paid off; today, Austin continues to expand his wine portfolio, driven by his unwavering commitment to showcasing Paso Robles’ essence in every bottle.