2022 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 15.5%
Residual Sugar 1.9 g/L
pH 3.77
Total Acidity 5.2 g/L
Calories (estimated) 130 kcal / glass
150ml glass130 kcal
750ml bottle650 kcal
Grape Varieties Merlot
Merlot100%
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite
Elevation 240.0 meters
Fermentation Vessels Open Fermenter, Oak Barrel
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Aging 18 months
Oak Details 40% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak40%
Oak Types French oak
Sulfites 63.0 ppm
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Vegan Yes
Vegetarian Yes
Closure Natural Cork
Production Details Helderberg ward, Stellenbosch. VSP trellis vineyard exposed to the South Easter on the edge of Somerset West at 240m above sea level. Grapes were picked at optimal ripeness, cooled overnight to 4C, destemmed to open top fermenters, spontaneously fermented, left on the skins as long as possible, then pressed into small French oak barrels with 40% new oak for 18 months before blending and bottling.
Sources: blankbottle.co.za ↗ · Compare this vintage
2021 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.5%
Residual Sugar 1.7 g/L
pH 3.72
Total Acidity 4.65 g/L
Calories (estimated) 120 kcal / glass
150ml glass120 kcal
750ml bottle600 kcal
Grape Varieties Merlot
Merlot100%
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite
Elevation 240.0 meters
Fermentation Vessels Open Fermenter, Oak Barrel
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Aging 18 months
Oak Details 40% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak40%
Oak Types French oak
Sulfites 71.0 ppm
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Vegan Yes
Vegetarian Yes
Closure Natural Cork
Production Details Helderberg ward, Stellenbosch. VSP trellis vineyard exposed to the South Easter on the edge of Somerset West at 240m above sea level. Grapes were picked at optimal ripeness, cooled overnight to 4C, destemmed to open top fermenters, spontaneously fermented, left on the skins as long as possible, then pressed into small French oak barrels with 40% new oak for 18 months before blending and bottling.
Tasting Notes
solid, structured, serious
Sources: blankbottle.co.za ↗ · Compare this vintage
2020 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 15.0%
Residual Sugar 1.96 g/L
pH 3.61
Total Acidity 5.37 g/L
Calories (estimated) 125 kcal / glass
150ml glass125 kcal
750ml bottle625 kcal
Grape Varieties Merlot
Merlot100%
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite
Elevation 240.0 meters
Fermentation Vessels Open Fermenter, Oak Barrel
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Aging 18 months
Oak Details 40% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak40%
Oak Types French oak
Sulfites 65.0 ppm
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Vegan Yes
Vegetarian Yes
Closure Natural Cork
Production Details Helderberg ward, Stellenbosch. VSP trellis vineyard exposed to the South Easter on the edge of Somerset West at 240m above sea level. Grapes were picked at optimal ripeness, cooled overnight to 4C, destemmed to open top fermenters, spontaneously fermented, left on the skins as long as possible, then pressed into small French oak barrels with 40% new oak for 18 months before blending and bottling.
Sources: blankbottle.co.za ↗ · Compare this vintage
2003 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.44%
pH 3.6
Total Acidity 5.86 g/L
Grape Varieties Merlot
Drinking Window Producer stated 8–10 years of ageing potential; no calendar endpoints were given
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Clay
Harvest Dates Summer 2003
Sites Single vineyard on the foothills of Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
Grape Clone MO36A
Fermentation Vessels stainless steel tanks
Maceration 18 days
Oak Details 70% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak70%
Second Fill Oak30%
Oak Types French oak
Vegan Yes
Vegetarian Yes
Closure Natural Cork
Production Volume 6,400 bottles
Bottles6,400
Production Details The single vineyard had a minimal slope and clay with sufficient water-holding capacity that irrigation was unnecessary. Rootstock was Richter 99. Grapes harvested at optimal ripeness in summer 2003 were fermented with French yeast in stainless-steel tanks with four pumpovers per day and 18 days of skin contact. The wine was then racked to barrels described in the detailed winemaking section as 70% new and 30% second-fill for 18 months. The same page's narrative instead says almost two years in brand-new French oak; these internally conflicting maturation descriptions should remain unresolved.
Tasting Notes intense berry fruit; mint leaves; warm, bright fruit; thick, dark colour; massive structure; large yet ripe and supple tannin structure
Sources: blankbottle.co.za ↗ · Compare this vintage
Producer Information
Website
Address
The BLANKBOTTLE Winery, Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa
Phone
+27 82 872 8658
Email
Owner
Pieter Walser
Cellarmaster
Pieter Walser