Franco Lourens grew up in Paarl, surrounded by vines and the sweet smell of grape must. His grandfather was a grape farmer, but Franco never knew him, and the wine bug skipped a generation with his parents. His first memory of wine was riding his bike to school along vineyard-lined streets, sticky with grapes that had fallen off trucks. Over time, the desire to make wine grew within him, and after earning a degree from the University of Stellenbosch, he set off to work at Vasse Felix in Margaret River and Ramey Cellars in Sonoma.

Later, Franco returned to South Africa, where he spent many years working alongside Chris Alheit, the prodigious winemaker known as Butch. Franco worked as Butch’s right hand, and the two shared a winemaking space in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley. Franco is quick to thank Butch for guidance in vineyard selection and winemaking practices, which were invaluable during his time there. After their shared cellar space, Franco had a stint in the Van Loggerenberg cellar, and today, Franco works out of the Brookdale Estate in Paarl – an utterly majestic estate nestled in the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain.

Franco’s experience with Alheit helped shape his winemaking, but he quickly found his own voice and a deep passion for the immense diversity of grapes, soils, and climates across the Western Cape. This led him to launch Lourens Family Wines with the goal of showcasing the region’s different terroirs, whether from a site in the suburbs of Cape Town, the mountains of Piekenierskloof, or the alluvial river plains of Wellington. Ever the family guy, Franco’s wines are adorned with labels that feature different members of his family: Howard John (his father), Lindi Carien (his wife), and Lua Ilse (his daughter). With the arrival of baby Mathias in 2024, all eyes are on Franco to see whether a new wine will join the pack…

Working mostly with old-vines, Franco has become masterful at blending, crafting quietly confident wines with a precision and totality rarely seen in a brand so young. His wines are mature beyond their years, an expression of the experiences and influences that have shaped his journey. In the words of wine writer Christian Eedes, “Whereas quite a few New Wave red wines sacrifice fruit depth for freshness, Lourens seems to achieve both.”  The road ahead is promising for Franco and his lovable wines.