Blankbottle, Seelug, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2025

Product code: 7083

Producer Profile

Starting out making wine in a friends garage, Pieter Walser is today one of South Africa’s most engaging and original winemakers.

His rejection of convention in favour of curiosity, instinct and storytelling sets him and his wines apart. Founded in 2004, the tale of Blankbottle began when a lady came to Pieter asking for anything but Shiraz. ‘I don’t drink Shiraz’ were her exact words. He poured her a glass of wine. She loved it and bought 3 cases. It was a straight Shiraz. That was the moment he realised that people really do judge a book by its cover. By removing the cultivar from the bottle, you also remove preconceived ideas. Each release is treated as an individual narrative, with no grape varieties listed and no fixed stylistic boundaries. Pieter owns no vineyards but seeks out top quality fruit from exceptional sites across the Western Cape, often tiny parcels that slip beneath the radar. The result is an ever-evolving portfolio of distinctive, site-driven wines, many of which are made only once and never repeated. Each label is handcrafted by Pieter, using a variety of techniques such as woodcuts, lino, pencil drawings, stencils etc. Having no indication of varietals on the label - leaving it BLANK - removing all preconceptions as to what lies beyond.

Viticulture

Sourced from a small single trellised Chardonnay vineyard on the foothills of the Helderberg facing the cooling influence of False Bay.

Winemaking

The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness and cooled overnight to 4 degrees Celsius. The next morning the grapes were pressed as whole bunches. The juice underwent spontaneous fermentation in older French oak as well as 40% new barrels. Deep winter the wine received one sulphur addition. 10 months on the lees, blended and bottled.

Tasting Note

A fresh, elegantly oaked, limey and delicious Chardonnay - more to the serious side of things, and named after the sea air or SEELUG! pulled in by on-shore winds across this small (as yet) unnamed vineyard on the lower Helderberg, spraying a whack of cool, misty oyster extract over the grapes.