2020 | Lourens Family | Howard John

Translucent crimson with ruby hues. The nose has complex aromas of raspberries, red cherries, fresh anise, and underlying proteas and roses. There is so much freshness to this wine. The palate is ample, but by no means heavy with bright acidity, crunchy tannins and a stony, petrichor-ish minerality. A briny olive note peers on toward the lengthy and firm tannin finish.

Producer Information

It's been just a few years since Franco Lourens launched his own wines, and he's been wowing critics ever since. And yet for all the hype and recognition his wines receive, he's still the same modest, self-effacing chap always with a gentle smile on his face that we met back in 2018. He gained experience working for the likes of David Ramey in California and Vasse Felix in Australia before returning to SA where he took up the role of assistant winemaker for the prodigious Chris Alheit of Alheit Vineyards, one of the most influential and talented winemakers of the Cape in the last decade. And it's here, under Chris' watchful eye and tutelage that Franco began to produce his own wines. He produced a show-stopping first two vintages, with a precision and brilliance rarely seen in such a young winemaker, and the wines catching the eye of the likes of Tim Atkin MW and SA specialist, Greg Sherwood MW, and high scores left, right and centre. Now sharing cellar space with friend and fellow talent, Lukas Van Loggerenberg, the wines follow a similar path to the new wave movement of of old-vine complexity, fine tune blending and masterly finesse. From his single-vineyard Steen to his Rhone red and white blendm these are impressive bottlings by any standard. A breathtakingly self-assured range and almost in the blink of an eye places Franco into the very top bracket of top-end New Wave SA producers.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.