I’m going to go ahead and declare it right here. Vinomofo has the most exciting selection of South African wines on the market. We’ve worked pretty hard to get to that point, and we’re excited to hold the (admittedly self-proclaimed) crown. This next one up is from Franco Lourens. After working for years under the tutelage of legendary vigneron Chris Alheit, Franco has struck out on his own (he also spent some time at Vasse Felix in Margaret River).

This is Franco’s take on South Africa’s most famous white variety, chenin blanc. It’s from a single vineyard planted back in 1977. After 10 months on lees in older French oak (think texture, not cedar), the wine was bottled without fining. It’s intense, lithe and complex. Fennel and peppermint combine with stonefruit, melon and pepper to create a wine of great depth with citrus acidity driving the finish.