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Lourens Family Wines

2019

‘Blouklip Steen’

Cape Town - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

Each vintage Franco has identified a specific Chenin Blanc parcel that has really stood out and vinifies that lot on its own rather than co-fermenting or blending it into ‘Lindi Carien’.  The challenges of 2019 were apparent in Piekenierskloof with hardly any fruit due to drought, but this block really shined.  It was a ripe vintage and the sugar levels were quite high early on.  The Contermanskloof vineyard was planted with bushvine Chenin Blanc in 1977 on decomposed blue slate and shale soils.  The vineyard is located in the Durbanville ward, within the Cape Town suburbs and roughly six miles from the Atlantic Ocean and that influence is what helps the grapes retain their acidity.

The grapes were handpicked and hand sorted at the winery. Then the bunches are left intact and whole-bunch pressed and after a very light settling racked to older French barriques where the wine ferments on lees. Weekly battonage is implemented with the wine not seeing a racking until bottling. After 10 months in wood the wine is then racked to tank and bottled without fining and only a very coarse filtration.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
  • Vineyard: Contermanskloof – Farmed by Robert Starke
  • Vine Age: 42-years-old
  • Soil Type: Dark, decomposed blue shale
  • Viticulture: Practicing organic – dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native – fourth passage 500L French demi-muid
  • Skin Contact: None
  • Aging: 10 months in fourth passage 500L French demi-muid
  • Alcohol: 13.1%
  • pH: 3.36
  • Total Acidity: 6.2 g/L
  • Total SO2: 85 ppm
  • Total Production: 89 cases
  • UPC: 0700083413833

Tasting Note

The Blouklip shale soils give a real richness to the fruit. There’s lovely purity here. Quite rich and spicy, with lovely energy, too. This is nicely balanced, with plenty of darker fruit on the palate.

Press & Reviews

Platter's Guide

95

"5-Stars. Registered single-vineyard of 43 year old dryland chenin on decomposed shale, 2019 savoury & earthy, ripe pineapple fruit on a backdrop of coriander, aniseed, almond biscuit & light toast. Endless finish carried by salty acidity. 2017 (4.5 stars, 94 pts) from same Durbanville bushvines."

- Kathy Marston

Tim Atkin

94

"Not made in 2018 - "too hot" says Franco Lourens - this superb Chenin is made with fruit from a dry-farmed, bush-vine vineyard in Durbanville. Broad and textured, but not fat, it's sinewy and muscular with subtle old wood, pear and beeswax flavours and refreshing, balancing acidity. 2021-25"

- Tim Atkin, MW

The WineMag

94

"From a 1977 Durbanville vineyard on shale. Stone fruit, naartjie and orange as well dried herbs, ginger and a slight waxy character. Rich and round on the palate with nicely integrated acidity and a gently savoury finish."

- Christian Eedes

Producer


Lourens Family Wines

Region


Cape Town

Country


South Africa

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