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In Senegal, two French people have opened the first wine estate in West Africa. A first in an area where temperatures rise rapidly and pests are present.
At the gateway to the Sahel, sand and high temperatures are a daily occurrence. Centennial baobabs take pride of place in the heart of the bush, but also in the vines. Those of the first wine estate in Senegal, and West Africa. This is a 14 hectare estate, run by two French people who had a dream: make wine. A crazy dream for some, because it has never been realized before. “We wanted to demonstrate that it was possible”, testifies François Normant, one of the two owners of the estate.
Many irrigation systems have been set up on the estate to ensure the survival of the vines, while guards are present on site to keep the monkeys away, who come to collect fully ripe grapes. The project also allows local inhabitants to contribute wine, even if the majority of the population does not consume it. “I’m glad they’re doing this in Senegal”, testify Ngone Mané, farm worker. After fermentation, the wine can be bottled and tasted. A fruity wine that was able to benefit from the sun.