Exploration
Lokaia was born from the overwhelming sense that there was more to explore in the Franschhoek Valley. While it's no secret that Semillon, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc are at the forefront of the region's wine identity, their bottled form still has room for growth and refinement. The ultimate goal was to extract as much personality and definition from the grapes as possible, while still maintaining each variety's purity and brightness.
Resulting from this, are three wines with a strong focus on amphorae - Terracotta pots that allow the wines to breathe and evolve slowly, without the inclusion of oak. Each wine has a varying degree of skin contact, which creates texture and body without the typical orange discoloration that is often associated with skin contact wines.
Three Sub-Regions, Three Distinct Wines
Identifying the site for growing a grape variety is arguably the most important factor when it comes to producing premium wines. Having worked with grapes from every corner of the valley, the founders chose the ideal pockets for the three varieties that have become the backbone of Lokaia;
Known for its ridiculously high annual rainfall and radical temperature swings, Franschhoek's Bo-Hoek region was identified for the label's Semillon, 'Pound of Flesh'. The micro-climate here allows the Semillon grapes to ripen fully at low potential alcohols, while still maintaining zippy acidity.
Franschhoek Valley Floor - although the soils are predominantly made up of sand, there is no doubt that this is Chardonnay territory. Carefully controlled soil-moisture content and bright sunshine are responsible for the beautifully concentrated juice that results in 'The Sandman'.
Sandstone and clay pave the mountains leading up to Dutoitskop Peak, where our Cabernet Franc, 'Call of the Void' is grown. From a vineyard planted nearly three decades ago, the intensely-coloured small berries are the starting point for one of the world's only unwooded examples of Cabernet Franc.