This captivating Bordeaux blend is from one farm on the Helderberg mountain that has deep, iron-rich clay soil – perfect for water retention. The grapes are organically farmed and aged for 18 months in 40% new oak and 60% older oak barrels.

This wine is dedicated to farmers all over the world. Here’s why: ‘The X-factor – The PIERRE-LE-COIS-EFFECT as I call it. The guy and nowadays often, the girl in the bakkie. The eyes who look holistically at the big picture and apply knowledge and experience within the comfort of like minded wise minds – enabling the application of practices to guide these vines to the ultimate expression of themselves. Season upon season.’ Pieter Walser, Owner and Winemaker.

#Tasting#

The tale behind the name BLANKbottle is that when Pieter was starting out, he made a small parcel of Shiraz and was left with a few unlabelled cases. One day, a woman wanted to buy a wine Anything but Shiraz, she told him. Pieter shrugged and sold her the unlabelled Shiraz, neglecting to mention the variety. A few weeks later she returned demanding more, saying it was the best thing shed ever drunk. For Pieter, it was a lesson on the gap between what people think they like (or dislike) and what they actually like (or dislike). After that, he decided not to list the varieties on his labels. Every one of Pieters wines is a story, rather than a grape variety, and its the juice inside the bottle which reveals that story. He doesnt own any vines, but instead scours South Africas winelands for top-quality fruit that has somehow slipped under the radar, now sourcing from nearly 70 sites. Some years hell make 20 wines, other years 35. With the benefit of anonymity, variety and regional identity take a back seat while parcel expression does the driving. These are some of South Africas most original wines, made by one of South Africas most original winemakers.