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Lourens Family Wines

2023

‘Howard John’

Red Blend   |   Swartland - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

Franco’s father (Howard John) gave the seed money gift and the unwavering support that would ultimately become Lourens Family Wines. From the outset, Franco knew his first wine already had a name and label. The 2023 vintage looks virtually identical to 2022 in terms of assemblage, with all Swartland fruit and similar percentages of Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault. The main difference this year was that Franco moved out of Lukas van Loggerenberg’s cellar and into Brookdale Estate in Paarl. He and Lukas remain tight as ever; with Lukas growing his own operations it was time for Franco to fledge the nest. At Brookdale, in one of the most picturesque sites in the Western Cape, Franco continues to find his groove. As ever, this wine is the poster child of drinkability.

The grapes were all hand-picked and sorted before spontaneous fermentation took place in 500L neutral oak barrels. The Grenache was fermented with 25% stems, the Cinsault was 100% de-stemmed, and the Syrah was 100% with stems. The wine saw 10-14 days on skins before the lots were pressed and returned to barrels for aging. Following ten months of maturation, the wine was racked to tank and settled naturally. It was bottled without fining and just a coarse filtration and a small sulfur addition.

Stats

  • Grapes: 42% Grenache Noir - 29% Cinsault - 29% Syrah
  • Vineyard: Swartland
  • Vine Age: Grenache (8-years-old) - Syrah (15-years-old) - Cinsault (27-years-old)
  • Soil Type: Decomposed granite
  • Viticulture: Practicing organic – dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native – 500L neutral barrels
  • Skin Contact: 10-14 days
  • Aging: 10 months in neutral 300L and 500L barrels
  • Alcohol: 13%
  • pH: 3.63
  • Total Acidity: 5.1 g/L
  • Total SO2: 51 ppm
  • Total Production: 550 cases
  • UPC: 6009879885958

Tasting Note

Light on its feet but full of energy. Juicy raspberries, sour cherry, and red flowers hit first, chased by fennel and a flash of olive brine. Bright, crunchy, and mineral to the core. So fresh it almost whistles.

Press & Reviews

Tim Atkin MW

93

"Howard John - a tribute to Franco Lourens' father, who appears on the label - is a judiciously blended cuvée of Grenache and 29% each of Cinsault and Syrah, all of them sourced from dry-farmed vineyards in the Swartland. Combining concentration with freshness, it's peppery, savoury and spicy with lovely cranberry, pomegranate and black olive flavours. 2024-30"

- Tim Atkin MW

James Suckling

92

"A peppery and flavorful red blend that has aromas of cracked pepper, star anise, red berry fruit and licorice. It’s medium-bodied, bright and tight-knit. A blend of 42% grenache noir, 29% cinsault and 29% syrah. Drink or hold."

- Claire Nesbitt

The WineMag

95

"42% Grenache, 29% Cinsault and 29% Syrah, all sourced from Swartland. 40% whole-bunch fermentation. Complex aromatics of red and black berries, fennel, fynbos, olive brine, cured meat and pepper. The palate displays concentrated fruit, lemon-like acidity and fine tannins, the finish deeply savoury. A vintage of sophistication and nuance."

- Christian Eedes
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Producer


Lourens Family Wines

Region


Swartland

Country


South Africa

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