Lourens Family Wines, ‘Lindi Carien’ White Blend Western Cape 2021

• producer: Lourens Family Wines
• region: Western Cape
• country: ZAF
• grape variety: verdelho, chenin blanc, colombard, grenache blanc, palomino
• production notes: dry farmed, vegan

Franco Lourens grew up in Paarl in the Western Cape of South Africa. His grandfather grew wine grapes but the wine bug skipped a generation until Franco became fascinated with it. After attending the University of Stellenbosch, he set off to California, where he worked in Sonoma. When he returned to South Africa, he spent many years working with Chris Alheit, a famed winemaker. Now, Franco works out of the Brookdale Estate cellar in Paarl, where he launched Lourens Family Wines with the intention of showcasing a host of different terroirs.

This white blend honors John’s wife, Lindi. The grenache blanc was immediately whole-bunch pressed to old French barrels and then fermented whole-cluster on skins for 5 days before being pressed to barrel. Each variety fermented on the gross lees separately and after without any additions and after ten months the barrels/amphora were blended to tank where it settled naturally. Medium bodied and silky with notes of pears, lemon peel and toasted pine nuts. Energetic.