In Stock: Lourens Family Wines
He is such a nice guy, always smiling! Franco Lourens has just released his new vintages and here are his notes...
The well-named “Cape of Storms” certainly lived up to its name recently and has been in the news over the past week or so due to the torrential rains that caused havoc throughout the area, especially the Overberg. Some parts have been without water and/or electricity for over a week and the damage to infrastructure and property has been immense, while some wine estates and orchards have suffered loss of arable land. Our thoughts are with those who are battling to get back on their feet and we hope things will be back to normal sooner rather than later although it will take a few months for us to be completely back ‘on the grid’, as it were.
With access to The Valley currently almost non-existent from all directions, we are helping the Bosman Hermanus guys by being their ‘Tasting Room in Town’ and have some of their Hemel en Aarde wines available to taste (and purchase) in our shop. Please do stop in to taste their wines…
Avid surfer and talented winemaker Trizanne has just released her ‘Seascape Range’ of wines, and she tells us that “These grapes hail from Elim, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Sondagskloof and Benede-Duivenshokrivier. Each wine has been carefully crafted with passion and expertise, capturing the distinct characteristics of its respective ward and my expression as winemaker. These new releases offer a glimpse into the Cape South Coast and are a true reflection of the beauty and diversity found in this area. The label is a creative extension of what you can expect in the bottle. All my gratitude to Rohan Etsebeth for capturing my thoughts and ideas so beautifully with the illustrations.” We can assure you that the wines in the bottles are as beautiful as the labels! Here are WineMag’s Christian Eedes’ Tasting Notes:
Groendruif Skin Contact Semillon 2022: Left on the skins for two weeks before maturation lasting 11 months in barrel, 20% new. Multifaceted aromatics of potpourri, peach, citrus, green apple, dried herbs and hay while the palate has surprising weight given an alcohol of just 11.16% to go with big acidity and a saline finish. Unashamedly geeky. Christian Eedes’ rating: 92/100.
Sondagskloof White 2022: From Sauvignon Blanc, 50% given skin contact for approximately two weeks before maturation in new 500-litre French oak barrels, 50% fermented in older barrels. Extraordinarily complex aromatics of black currant, citrus, peach, kiwi fruit, floral perfume and fennel while the palate has dense fruit, snappy acidity, some pithy texture to the finish. A seamless wine with great flavour intensity. Alc: 12.5%. Christian Eedes’ rating: 96/100.
Benede-Duivenshokrivier Chardonnay 2022: 50% whole-bunch fermentation and malolactic fermentation inhibited. Matured for 11 months in partly new barrels. Pear, peach, citrus and a hint of vanilla on the nose. The palate is light and fresh with a gently savoury finish. Delicate and poised. Alc: 11.83%. Christian Eedes’ rating: 92/100.
Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Pinot Noir 2022: 100% destemmed. Matured for 10 months in 300-litre barrels, 20% new. Strawberry, red cherry, a hint of musk and white pepper on the nose. Good fruit expression, moderate acidity and powdery tannins. Well balanced and immediately accessible. Alc: 13.64%. Christian Eedes’ rating: 91/100.
Elim Syrah 2022: 100% destemmed, maturation lasting 11 months in partly new French oak barrels. Subtle aromatics of red and black berries, fynbos and pepper while the palate is lean with lemon-like acidity and silky tannins, the finish deeply savoury. Super-elegant, precise and stylish. Alc: 13.17%. Christian Eedes’ rating: 95/100.
Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Barbera 2022: Violets, red and black berries plus a hint of fresh herbs on the nose. Impressive fruit density matched by a great line of acidity and crunchy tannins. Pure and vivid, this is an arresting wine that will certainly not leave you indifferent – alcohol is 14.05% and TA is 7.6g/l! I love it… Christian Eedes’ rating: 96/100.
There should always be an empty parking space in the corner next to our shop, but if not please feel free to stop directly in front of our shop while you are with us - this will save you time driving around looking for a parking space.
- Monday to Saturday: 9am - 6pm.
- Sunday + Public holidays: 10am - 4pm.
Have you ever heard about a great wine but could never find a bottle for yourself (to share with friends, of course)? Well, the team at Wine & Company do all the hard work for you! We visit wine farms and attend tastings to find, taste, and then stock wine from the smaller Estates and independent winemakers who buy grapes and produce outstanding wine under their own labels – much the same as the French negociants have been doing for centuries. Given that these winemakers make wine in such small quantities, sometimes just a single barrel, their wine will never be found on the shelves of the major retailers, but only in specialist shops like Wine & Company on High Street, Hermanus.
In addition to the great selection of well-known wines and MCC's, we also stock local craft gin and beer, French Champagne, Belgian Ales as well as whisky and other spirits. Wine & Company (established in 1998 by Bartho Eksteen) has a well-earned reputation for stocking hard-to-find small-batch wines and we strive to continue this great tradition. If you purchase a bottle of wine from us and it is faulty we will gladly replace the bottle and return the faulty wine to the winemaker.
Feel free to contact Wine & Company if you need a particular wine and we will do our best to source it for you. We are also able to ship wine locally and to most countries so do ask about international shipping.
Please note that our website does not show the complete range of wine that we have in stock, so please do contact us if you are looking for something not listed online, especially those that are 'allocation' only.
We offer free delivery in and around Hermanus, and free shipping to major centres around South Africa for orders over R1600. Please contact us for international shipping rates.
A reminder of our website: www.wineandco.co.za/shop or scan the Wine and Co QR code to go directly to our shop:
Wine & Company is a speciality shop in Hermanus dealing in limited-edition wines, craft beer, artisanal gin and imported whisky. Over the years this long-established owner-run business has grown a favourable reputation with local and international wine connoisseurs. For your added convenience, Wine ...
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