A Bright Grenache Shaped by the Heights of Piekenierskloof
From a single parcel of old, dry-farmed Grenache Noir vines in Piekenierskloof, Lua Ilse combines brightness with remarkable freshness. Red berries, pomegranate and rose mingle with herbal and spicy notes, while the palate is precise, energetic and finely tannic, finishing dry and subtly mineral. Fermented with native yeasts and 25% whole clusters, the wine spends ten months in old 500-litre French oak tonneaux.
Based in Paarl in South Africa’s Western Cape, Lourens Family Wines is the project of Franco Lourens, founded in 2016. After working in South Africa and abroad, including Australia, California and Roussillon, Franco spent five years working alongside Chris Alheit before returning to Paarl in 2021.
His wines focus on expressing the character of their sites and grape varieties through a deliberately low-intervention approach in the cellar. Fermentations rely on native yeasts, with no added yeast, acid, enzymes or fining agents. Maturation takes place in older neutral oak, allowing the wines to retain their individuality, freshness and sense of place.
Lourens Family Wines Lua Ilse 2023
Western Cape, South Africa (75 cL)
- Soil(s): Decomposed sandstone
- Farming: Reasoned
- Grape variety(ies): Grenache
- Alcohol: 14.0°
- Ageing: 10 months in old barrels
- Serving temperature: 16°C - 18°C
- Cellaring: Now until 2033
- Decanting: 45 minutes before serving
- Pairings: Grilled lamb, roast duck, herb-roasted vegetables, vegetable tagine, Mediterranean cuisine.
