Franco ‘Poenie’ Lourens is releasing his outrageously good 2024 Vintage.
The word he uses to describe this vintage is ‘energy’. From the healthy, thriving grapes, the busy and well equipped cellar he was working in to the end product in each wine.
“I’m excited about this vintage” says Poenie.
This is his tenth vintage of Lourens Family Wines, and looking back over the years and after recently re-tasting some of his older wines Franco says the older blends are really maturing well. But lucky for us he’s just added another fantastic wine to the range! Along with a new member to the family, little Mathias, who is blessed enough to have the Chenin named after him.
Franco was recently shortlisted for The Young Winemaker of the Year award by Tim Atkin.
Located in Piekenierskloof, the Skuinskap Steen vineyard is 48-year-old vines that feature a unique and peculiar trellising system. The reason for this specific planting method remains a mystery, even to Poenie, making it a defining and intriguing feature of the vineyard and the wine. He affectionately refers to this vineyard as his “blue-eyed boy”, never giving him any issues.
Proefkonyn, meaning Guinea Pig, is a Verdelho from Franco Lourens, it is his “playground” for experimenting with different varieties and processes. He emphasises that he’s not trying to reinvent Verdelho but is simply having fun making it, and that consumers shouldn’t expect a wine similar to the rest of the Lourens Family Wines range. Verdelho is known for its resilience to heat and drought and its natural acidity and low pH.
The wine was fermented spontaneously in two older, neutral 500L barrels and matured on its fine lees for 10 months. It was bottled unfined and with only coarse filtration. On the palate, it presents a profile of yellow fruits with a clean, energetic character that might be reminiscent of a Chenin Blanc.
”This is the second vintage of a stand-alone Verdelho from Franco Lourens, all sourced from Cavali’s extensive estate in Stellenbosch. Fermented and aged in older barrels, with maturation on fine lees, it’s sappy, focused and bone dry, showing pear and subtle stone fruit flavours and a savoury finish. 93/100 ” – Tim Atkin MW
Lindi Carien, named after Franco’s wife, is a blend of 66% Chenin Blanc from Swartland and Piekenierskloof, 23% Verdelho from Stellenbosch, and 11% Colombar from Swartland. Grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and fermented with no added yeast or enzymes. The wine was fermented and matured for 10 months in older, neutral 300L and 500L barrels. The Colombar component underwent 7 days of skin contact, contributing to the mid-palate, flavor, and concentration of the final wine. It was bottled un-fined and with only coarse filtration.
The final wine has a pithy and granitic note to it, more mature and realised than previous vintages.
“66% Chenin Blanc, 23% Verdelho, 11% Colombar (seven days skin contact). Grapes sourced from across the Western Cape; Colombar replaces Grenache Blanc in this vintage. Exotic aromatics of pear, peach, orange, pineapple with potpourri and spice in the background. The palate is rich and flavourful with tangy acidity and finish that is savoury and lightly grippy. Alc: 13.27%. 94/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
This is the maiden vintage of a wine named after Franco Lourens’s newborn son, Mathias. For years, the grapes from this vineyard were a key component in the Lindi blend, but Franco felt it was time for this special site to stand on its own.
Sourced from a single, 44-year-old dryland bush vine vineyard planted in 1981, the grapes grow on the slopes of the Paardeberg in the Swartland on decomposed granite soils. These vineyards are farmed sustainably, yielding incredibly low harvests.
This Chenin is all about energy and texture, with notes of tobacco and thatch roof.
“NEW. From a 0.9ha Paardeberg vineyard planted in 1981. Lime, lemon, green apple, peach, herbs, a hint of ginger and some leesy complexity. Super-concentrated with punchy acidity, the finish long and savoury, slightly pithy in texture. A riveting wine – great focus with plenty of hidden power. Al: 13.34%. 97/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
Poenie’s “Blue eyed boy”, the grapes are from a single, 48-year-old Chenin Blanc vineyard planted in 1977 in the Piekenierskloof ward, situated at 750m above sea level in the Citrusdal mountain District. The decomposed sandstone soils and trellis system make this site truly special.
The grapes are passionately farmed by the Sandell family. This vineyard gets very hot during the day but cools down at night. The vines are picked twice in the vintage to capture both freshness and flesh, with the grapes being shaded to retain a vibrant green character.
The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and fermented with no added yeast or enzymes. The wine was then matured and fermented for 10 months in three older, neutral 500L French barrels. The result is a wine with a focused character and notes of orange and lime peel.
“ From a Piekenierskloof vineyard planted on sandstone at 750m above sea level in 1977. Smoky reduction precedes pear, peach, a hint of citrus and straw on the nose. Light yet intensely flavoured with crisp acidity and an ultra-dry finish. Elegant, linear and taut. Alc: 13.32%. 95/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
This single-vineyard Grenache Noir is named after the winemaker’s daughter, Lua. He says it’s a wine he loves making, and he loves everything about the vineyard, despite the variety being finicky and needing to be protected.
The grapes come from a dryland bush vine vineyard in Piekenierskloof, located at 650m on sandstone soils.
Described as a “serious” Grenache, the wine sits at a “sweet spot” of 14% ABV. It’s noted for its smoky, fine tannins and for having both substance and flavour while remaining zippy and structured.
” Grapes for a Piekenierskloof vineyard planted in 1998. 25% whole-bunch fermentation. Black berries, wilted rose, fynbos, earth and spice on the nose while the palate shows dense fruit, big acidity and firm but not coarse tannins. Pure and deep with no impression of sweetness – substantial but not ponderous, powerful yet precise. Alc: 14.2%. 95/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
Named after Franco’s Father, this wine is a blend of 44% Grenache Noir, 39% Cinsaut, and 17% Syrah, all from drylands bush vines in the Swartland.
The blend is an expression of the individual components: the Cinsaut offers freshness and an approachable “ease” to the wine; the young Grenache, from an amazing and very focused farmer, provides balance and structure; and the Syrah, sourced from Jakkalsfontein, is the “bad boy” of the blend bringing texture and personality.
The grapes were fermented with 30% stems and no added yeast or enzymes. The final wine was bottled unfined and with coarse filtration, and is described as “grown-up” and a perfect example of these varieties.
“44% Grenache, 39% Cinsault and 17% Syrah sourced from Swartland. 30% whole-bunch fermentation. Enticing aromatics of red berries, pomegranate, rose, fynbos and a hint of white pepper. With succulent fruit, lively acidity and chalky tannins. Approachable now but balanced and structured enough to drink well until at least 2030. Alc: 13.82%. 94/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R2,135.00Original price was: R2,135.00.R2,028.25Current price is: R2,028.25.Add to basket
Lourens Family Mixed Case 2025
Free delivery and a 5% discount!
Taste the full range of wines from Lourens Family Wines including one bottle of each of his acclaimed wines.
Inside Your Case:
‘Proefkonyn’ Verdelho 2024: A vibrant and energetic white with clean, zesty yellow fruit flavours.
‘Lindi Carien’ Cape White Blend 2024: A beautifully structured blend with notes of pear, peach, and orange.
‘Mathias’ Chenin Blanc 2024: NEW! An energetic and textured Chenin Blanc with notes of lime, green apple, and subtle ginger.
‘Skuinskap Steen’ Chenin Blanc 2024: An elegant and linear wine from a high-altitude vineyard, offering focused flavours of orange and lime peel.
‘Lua’ Grenache Noir 2024: A serious single-vineyard Grenache with smoky, fine tannins and notes of black berries and spice.
‘Howard John’ Red Blend 2024: A masterful blend of Grenache, Cinsaut, and Syrah, with enticing notes of red berries and pomegranate.
Lourens Family Wines Vintage 2024 is Energetic!
Franco ‘Poenie’ Lourens is releasing his outrageously good 2024 Vintage.
The word he uses to describe this vintage is ‘energy’. From the healthy, thriving grapes, the busy and well equipped cellar he was working in to the end product in each wine.
“I’m excited about this vintage” says Poenie.
This is his tenth vintage of Lourens Family Wines, and looking back over the years and after recently re-tasting some of his older wines Franco says the older blends are really maturing well. But lucky for us he’s just added another fantastic wine to the range! Along with a new member to the family, little Mathias, who is blessed enough to have the Chenin named after him.
Franco was recently shortlisted for The Young Winemaker of the Year award by Tim Atkin.
Located in Piekenierskloof, the Skuinskap Steen vineyard is 48-year-old vines that feature a unique and peculiar trellising system. The reason for this specific planting method remains a mystery, even to Poenie, making it a defining and intriguing feature of the vineyard and the wine. He affectionately refers to this vineyard as his “blue-eyed boy”, never giving him any issues.
- Skuinskap Steen Vineyard
The Wines:
R215.00Add to basket
'Proefkonyn' Verdelho 2024
Proefkonyn, meaning Guinea Pig, is a Verdelho from Franco Lourens, it is his “playground” for experimenting with different varieties and processes. He emphasises that he’s not trying to reinvent Verdelho but is simply having fun making it, and that consumers shouldn’t expect a wine similar to the rest of the Lourens Family Wines range. Verdelho is known for its resilience to heat and drought and its natural acidity and low pH.
The wine was fermented spontaneously in two older, neutral 500L barrels and matured on its fine lees for 10 months. It was bottled unfined and with only coarse filtration. On the palate, it presents a profile of yellow fruits with a clean, energetic character that might be reminiscent of a Chenin Blanc.
”This is the second vintage of a stand-alone Verdelho from Franco Lourens, all sourced from Cavali’s extensive estate in Stellenbosch. Fermented and aged in older barrels, with maturation on fine lees, it’s sappy, focused and bone dry, showing pear and subtle stone fruit flavours and a savoury finish. 93/100 ” – Tim Atkin MW
R310.00Add to basket
‘Lindi Carien’ Cape White Blend 2024
Lindi Carien, named after Franco’s wife, is a blend of 66% Chenin Blanc from Swartland and Piekenierskloof, 23% Verdelho from Stellenbosch, and 11% Colombar from Swartland. Grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and fermented with no added yeast or enzymes. The wine was fermented and matured for 10 months in older, neutral 300L and 500L barrels. The Colombar component underwent 7 days of skin contact, contributing to the mid-palate, flavor, and concentration of the final wine. It was bottled un-fined and with only coarse filtration.
The final wine has a pithy and granitic note to it, more mature and realised than previous vintages.
“66% Chenin Blanc, 23% Verdelho, 11% Colombar (seven days skin contact). Grapes sourced from across the Western Cape; Colombar replaces Grenache Blanc in this vintage. Exotic aromatics of pear, peach, orange, pineapple with potpourri and spice in the background. The palate is rich and flavourful with tangy acidity and finish that is savoury and lightly grippy. Alc: 13.27%. 94/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R465.00Add to basket
‘Mathias’ Chenin Blanc 2024
This is the maiden vintage of a wine named after Franco Lourens’s newborn son, Mathias. For years, the grapes from this vineyard were a key component in the Lindi blend, but Franco felt it was time for this special site to stand on its own.
Sourced from a single, 44-year-old dryland bush vine vineyard planted in 1981, the grapes grow on the slopes of the Paardeberg in the Swartland on decomposed granite soils. These vineyards are farmed sustainably, yielding incredibly low harvests.
This Chenin is all about energy and texture, with notes of tobacco and thatch roof.
“NEW. From a 0.9ha Paardeberg vineyard planted in 1981. Lime, lemon, green apple, peach, herbs, a hint of ginger and some leesy complexity. Super-concentrated with punchy acidity, the finish long and savoury, slightly pithy in texture. A riveting wine – great focus with plenty of hidden power. Al: 13.34%. 97/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R465.00Add to basket
‘Skuinskap Steen’ Chenin Blanc 2024
Poenie’s “Blue eyed boy”, the grapes are from a single, 48-year-old Chenin Blanc vineyard planted in 1977 in the Piekenierskloof ward, situated at 750m above sea level in the Citrusdal mountain District. The decomposed sandstone soils and trellis system make this site truly special.
The grapes are passionately farmed by the Sandell family. This vineyard gets very hot during the day but cools down at night. The vines are picked twice in the vintage to capture both freshness and flesh, with the grapes being shaded to retain a vibrant green character.
The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and fermented with no added yeast or enzymes. The wine was then matured and fermented for 10 months in three older, neutral 500L French barrels. The result is a wine with a focused character and notes of orange and lime peel.
“ From a Piekenierskloof vineyard planted on sandstone at 750m above sea level in 1977. Smoky reduction precedes pear, peach, a hint of citrus and straw on the nose. Light yet intensely flavoured with crisp acidity and an ultra-dry finish. Elegant, linear and taut. Alc: 13.32%. 95/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R370.00Add to basket
‘Lua’ Grenache Noir 2024
This single-vineyard Grenache Noir is named after the winemaker’s daughter, Lua. He says it’s a wine he loves making, and he loves everything about the vineyard, despite the variety being finicky and needing to be protected.
The grapes come from a dryland bush vine vineyard in Piekenierskloof, located at 650m on sandstone soils.
Described as a “serious” Grenache, the wine sits at a “sweet spot” of 14% ABV. It’s noted for its smoky, fine tannins and for having both substance and flavour while remaining zippy and structured.
” Grapes for a Piekenierskloof vineyard planted in 1998. 25% whole-bunch fermentation. Black berries, wilted rose, fynbos, earth and spice on the nose while the palate shows dense fruit, big acidity and firm but not coarse tannins. Pure and deep with no impression of sweetness – substantial but not ponderous, powerful yet precise. Alc: 14.2%. 95/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R310.00Add to basket
‘Howard John’ Red Blend 2024
Named after Franco’s Father, this wine is a blend of 44% Grenache Noir, 39% Cinsaut, and 17% Syrah, all from drylands bush vines in the Swartland.
The blend is an expression of the individual components: the Cinsaut offers freshness and an approachable “ease” to the wine; the young Grenache, from an amazing and very focused farmer, provides balance and structure; and the Syrah, sourced from Jakkalsfontein, is the “bad boy” of the blend bringing texture and personality.
The grapes were fermented with 30% stems and no added yeast or enzymes. The final wine was bottled unfined and with coarse filtration, and is described as “grown-up” and a perfect example of these varieties.
“44% Grenache, 39% Cinsault and 17% Syrah sourced from Swartland. 30% whole-bunch fermentation. Enticing aromatics of red berries, pomegranate, rose, fynbos and a hint of white pepper. With succulent fruit, lively acidity and chalky tannins. Approachable now but balanced and structured enough to drink well until at least 2030. Alc: 13.82%. 94/100” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R2,135.00Original price was: R2,135.00.R2,028.25Current price is: R2,028.25.Add to basketLourens Family Mixed Case 2025
Free delivery and a 5% discount!
Taste the full range of wines from Lourens Family Wines including one bottle of each of his acclaimed wines.
Inside Your Case:
READ MORE ABOUT LOURENS FAMILY WINES