BlankBottle Little William 2019
Guess who got far too excited about getting a BlankBottle delivery after the first booze ban, and started popping bottles like there’d never be another prohibition.
Totes worth it! A part of me purposefully forgets what I purchase so that I have the giddy schoolgirl reaction when I open these boxes. But the surprise didn’t end with the box…tasting this wine added at least one more wrinkle as my eyebrows shot up in confusion…along with a bunch more smile lines soon afterwards.

The Wine:
Pale ruby in colour with a medium nose of cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, spices (cardamom, juniper berries, white pepper and musky mace), orange peel, rosemary stalks, slight leather, rusty iron and slight liquorice.
Dry, light bodied, medium+ acidity and low tannins. Medium intensity red fruits and herbs with a medium+ finish that ends in those exotic spices and a hint of tart orange juice.
Nope…it’s not Pinot Noir. It’s Syrah.
Viti & Vini:
The Syrah is sourced from vineyards in the Witzenberg mountains in the Ceres Plateau. The vines are planted at 750 metres above sea level, making this an excellent expression of cool climate, high altitude Shiraz.
Conclusion:
Balance (1) + Length (1) + Intensity (½) + Complexity (1) = A very good wine.
Drink now but has potential for further ageing.
Final Thoughts:
I think everyone who experiences this wine is like WTF? It flies in the face of everything that makes New World Syrah holy. Or it gives Côte-Rôtie a run for its money? Either way, it’s divine!
Even more divine is the gorgeous story behind the wine…with a spine-tingling, goosebump-raising recent update to the tale. Read the story - or listen to Pieter narrate the story, a fun new feature to the website here.
Find all my BlankBottle reviews here.