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BLANKBottle The Empire Strikes Back 2021

R323.00

Region: Stellenbosch

Tasting note:

“The name of this wine is a reference to the renaissance of Stellenbosch, which is the origin of this assemblage of Verdelho with 62% Chenin Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne. Old wood and concrete fermented, it has pear, patisserie and clementine flavours, fine texture and the freshness that’s a feature of Pieter Walser’s whites. 2022-26.” – Tim Atkin MW

5 in stock.
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Pieter Walser is one of the world’s most innovative winemakers and produces some of South Africa’s most coveted wines that you’ve probably never tasted. Pieter crafts unique wine blends, picking about thirty five grape varieties from sixty vineyards around the Cape. Each bottling is a unique and delicious snapshot of the vintage and vineyards and expresses BLANKbottle’s one-of-a-kind vinous vision. Each wine is bottled and labelled according to the story behind it and half will never make a re-appearance. The main aim of BLANKbottle wines is to provide an honest, personal taste with no preconceived expectations that come with certain vintages or styles.

The Story:

Today I’m standing up to defend the EMPIRE – STELLENBOSCH. Silently, she’s been re-aligning her troops and now strikes back at the Swartland to establish herself yet again as a formidable force. The Empire Strikes Back – An all-STELLENBOSCH white blend of Verdelho from 2 different sites, Roussanne, Marsanne, Chardonnay, and Chenin blanc. Just for the record – I am a huge fan of Swartland white blends. The image of South African wines has changed dramatically over the past 10 years and the Swartland played a huge part in this. Their wines, especially the Rhône-style white blends are top notch. They are fun, young, energetic and unique and started to gain international fame. Stellenbosch, however (where I studied winemaking), is the original EMPIRE of South African wine. Like most of us, I like to support the underdog, and in the case of white blends, the Empire became exactly that. So I created a white blend based on similar varieties – a combination that could give some of the Swartland white blends a go. The empire is therefore now striking back at the Swartland. The label consists of two sections. On the left part of the label you will see a half star, which was the logo for the “Swartland Revolution”. And on the right – stripes that represent a traditional and conservative EMPIRE.