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Lourens Family Wines

2020

‘Proefkonyn’

Skin Macerated Wine   |   Walker Bay - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

This is the second release from Franco’s experimental lab program, known as ‘Proefkonyn.’  ‘Proefkonyn’ is the Afrikaans term for ‘guinea pig’ and representative of the experimental nature of this side-brand of Lourens Family. This vintage Franco made two wines under this moniker, a skin-contact Sauvignon Blanc and an ancestral method Chenin Blanc.  This wine comes from two sites in the cool enclave of the Walker Bay area.  Franco wanted to capture the most intense, pure essence of Sauvignon Blanc and thought a week on skins would really intensify those notes without adding too much tannin.  He considers this a skin contact wine and not a skin macerated wine, thus less dense and tannic than one would think.

The grapes were hand-harvested overnight and placed into small lug boxes then brought back to the winery where they were carefully destemmed but not crushed. The grapes were then placed into a single small one ton fermenter and the grapes’ weight naturally crushed some of the berries toward the bottom and a light bit of skin contact occurred.  After a week the grapes were pressed to half old French oak and half local clay pots to finish fermentation.  The wine sat unsulfured on the primary lees for ten months prior to being blended to tank where it settled naturally.  The wine was bottled without fining or filtration and just a small addition of sulfur.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
  • Vineyard: Two vineyards: one in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and one in Walker Bay
  • Vine Age: Average: 15-years-old
  • Soil Type: Decomposed sandstone
  • Viticulture: Sustainable
  • Fermentation: Native – 50% neutral French 300L barrels and 50% local clay pots
  • Skin Contact: 7 days
  • Aging: 10 months in 50% neutral French 300L barrels and 50% local clay pots
  • Alcohol: 12.5%
  • pH: 3.34
  • Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L
  • Total SO2: 43 ppm
  • Total Production: 83 cases
  • UPC: 0781718583213

Tasting Note

Green pepper is the first note that would come to mind and that is an easy tone to hang onto.  The nose is is green, but not just vegetal.  Spicy green flowers, pistachios, and green apple freshness open this savage and entrancing wine.  It has loads of texture on the palate with a saltiness coming into the mix and energetic citrus notes persisting.  There is a feint hint of salted almonds on the lengthy and precise finish.  It is zippy and very easy to fall in love with.

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Producer


Lourens Family Wines

Region


Walker Bay

Country


South Africa

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