BlankBottle 1 Click Off 2021
If it walks like a duck... Herewith, how I bombed this very obvious grape in a blind tasting. As always, Pieter is far better than anyone else at telling you about his wines, you should read or listen to him here.
The Wine:
Vibrant pale ruby with medium (+) aromas of red cherries, raspberries, strawberries, red fruit pastilles; light cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; wet leaves, leather, hinting at umami (those savouries hit hard at the beginning...but the reduction blows off quickly), defined herbal fynbos and rosemary. All signs would have you guessing Pinot Noir.
Dry, medium(+) acidity, medium bodied, ripe but slight grippy/herbal low tannins, medium alcohol, less intensity on the palate, and a medium (+) finish that further define those herbal elements. All signs point to Pinot.
Viti & Vini:
No spoilers on these BlankBottle back labels!
Final Thoughts:
As with all BlankBottle wines, there’s no indication of varieties on the label...and my purchasing memory is rubbish. I needed the blinding practice so my guess/deduction was: Cinsault because of the red fruit, lighter spices and savoury qualities...along with the acid, body and colour. Also, why would Pieter make Pinot.
Google Verdict: Pinot Noir. 🤦🏾♀️ A classic case of overthinking! If it walks like a duck... apparently I need to turn it into a peacock? Insert much shaking of the head. At least I didn’t call it Grenache...this time. 😂
And this is why BlankBottle will always my desert island choice - decimating all assumptions and keeping me on my toes. I have never had a boring or predictable wine from this winemaker.
Ps. It’s very good. Nothing notable or special. It’s a solid Pinot that errs on the fruity side. But if you’re also a fan girl, that’s not going to stop you from buying and loving this. Ergo, I loved this!
Viti & Vini:
Pinot Noir grown on a rocky outcrop in cool climate Elgin!
"The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness and cooled overnight to 4º celsius. The next morning the grapes were 90% destemmed to open top fermenters. The juice underwent spontaneous fermentation and stayed on the skins for as long as possible. Pressed into 60% new oak small barrels, 8 months in barrel, blended and bottled."
Alc: 13% | RS: 1.8g/L | Acidity: 5.04 g/l | PH: 3.5 Free SO2: 19 ppm | Total SO2: 68 ppm | Volatile Acidity: 0.61 g/l
Natural cork closure + Vegan wine
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