Lourens Family Mixed Case 2025

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

This white blend, the first wine he ever crafted, is dedicated to Lindi Carien, his wife. We hope she enjoys many bottles, savoring each one as a reminder of Franco's love and dedication.

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

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