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BLANKbottle Autumn Equinox 2022
"This is a blend of Weisser Riesling, Semillon and Sauvignon blanc from Elgin
DISCLAIMER: I am no activist and I don't belong to any kind of organisation. I pick grapes from everywhere and respect each area for its contribution to a specific wine. In this newsletter however, I’m focusing on what Elgin does well and exploring the possible relevance of the Autumn Equinox theory. The Autumn Equinox theory… The more I learn about farming and wine, the more I wonder how the olden-day farmers decided what to plant where. Nowadays, before planting, farmers make use of professionals who scan the soil and dissect and analyse the different soil layers, physically as well as chemically. They study topographical data and in some cases make use of satellites and even drones. They construct terroir models in order to understand… Viticulturists (like Jaco Engelbrecht who works for me on a consultancy basis) also map the great Grand Cru vineyards of Europe which enables them to compare our new sites to the greats of the world.
All this is done with one goal in mind: figuring out what to plant where! Ultimately, however, they feed from decisions made in ancient times. Times when they got it right without satellites, drones and engineering surveyors. Times when they had time to observe… One such approach that was often used, is the Autumn Equinox theory. In the Northern Hemisphere the autumnal equinox falls on 22/23 September, as the sun crosses the celestial equator on its way south. In the Southern Hemisphere the Autumn equinox occurs on 20/21 March, when the sun moves back north across the equator - otherwise known as the “Harvest moon". Traditionally it marked the end of the harvest season, where they took stock of what was grown and gathered and gave thanks for what they had received. So their theory was very simple: plant whatever crop ripens a few days before, on, or after (basically as close as possible to) the Autumn Equinox. And that got me thinking about Elgin. During February and early March when the heat waves hit the Western Cape, grapes in Elgin are still green, with sugars around 16° Balling.
The vines have plenty of energy to sustain the heat and by the time the heat waves have passed, moderate temperatures take the grapes through a mild, slow ripening phase. This enables the vines to produce fully ripe grapes. And then, on the Autumn Equinox, the grapes usually have a sugar content of 21 - 23° balling, which is when we pick. So today I decided to release a mixed case of ELGIN wines (including a brand new wine in our portfolio) - stuff that ripened on 23 March, 28 March and a blend with a average picking time at the Autumn Equinox" - Winemaker' notes
BLANKbottle Orbitofrontal Cortex 2023
"Twelve different grape varieties make up the blend here, produced by Pieter Walser using his conscious mind. (There was a one-off "unconscious" assemblage as well!) Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne are all important components, creating a complex, layered white with lime, pear, rose water and orange zest flavours, a nip of tannin and a lingering finish." - Tim Atkin MW
BLANKbottle Moment of Silence 2023
"One of the bigger production wines at BLANKbottle - we're talking 20,000 bottles, folks - this is a Rhône style Wellington blend of mostly Chenin Blanc with 25% Grenache Blanc and a splash of Viognier. Pear, citrus, quince and ginger flavours are complemented by old wood ageing and a refreshing mineral core." Tim Atkin MW
BLANKbottle Familiemoord 2023
"Family Murder - is one of Pieter Walser's most famous wines, based on a true story with a happy ending about mistaken identity. Made with Grenache from Braam Marais' farm in Piekenierskloof, it's a refined, layered, fynbos-scented red with graceful tannins, lots of zip and minerality and flavours of pomegranate, strawberry and rooibos tea." - Tim Atkin MW
Château Lafleur Grand Village Rouge 2021
"The 2021 Grand Village, a blend of 48% Merlot (picked on the 17th and 24th of September) and 52% Cabernet Franc (picked on the 2nd of October), is undoubtedly one of the best values in Bordeaux, revealing a fresh, gourmand bouquet with aromas of raspberry, cassis, spring flowers and loamy soils. Medium-bodied, tense and elegant with a supple, velvety texture, it’s perfectly balanced with powdery tannins and a long, mouthwatering, sleek finish that enhances its drinkability. While it offers plenty of immediate charm, it also has the structure to age over the next decade." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon Tradition 2022
"The young 2022 Chinon is reductive and needs some breathing time—ideally, time in bottle. It's rather raw and uptight due to its youth. It reminds me of someone scrunching up their eyes and hunching their shoulders, as if waiting for something bad to happen. But underneath all that tension of youth, there is creamy, juicy red fruit and spice, and evidently less crunchiness than in 2021. While it needs time, its level of concentration and modest tannins suggest this is one that would be best consumed before the decade is out." - Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon Vieilles Vignes 2021
"Crafted from old vines (70 to 80 years old) on clay, gravelly soils, the 2021 Chinon Vieilles Vignes is instantly brilliant in the glass. Despite a slight reduction, it offers up aromas of blueberries, cassis, flowers, violet, rose petals and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, layered and structured, it’s seamless and enveloping with powdery tannins and delicate notes of violet and blueberries on the finish. It's approachable now but also built to evolve with grace." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon Coteau de Noiré 2021
"This site is known to produce relatively dense, powerful wines in ripe vintages, yet the 2021 Chinon Coteau de Noiré stands out as exceptional. It unfolds in the glass with aromas of lead pencil, licorice, dark wild berries and cassis. Full-bodied, dense and chunky, it’s seamless and velvety with a layered core of fruit framed by powdery, generous tannins that segues into a long, mineral finish framed by perfectly controlled power. I appreciate wines like this that purely express the terroirs and are capable of long aging. Keep it over the next decade." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Domaine Philippe Alliet Chinon L’Huisserie 2021
"The 2021 Chinon L'Huisserie is derived from 23-year-old vines planted on flinty clay soils. Offering up a reduced, complex bouquet of violet, blueberries, cassis, cedar and licorice, it’s medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a layered, structured mid-palate complemented with bright acids and a penetrating, mineral finish that is a hallmark of this cuvée in recent years." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Rall Concrete Syrah 2023
"This 3 release of the Syrah made from one of the schist vineyards used for the Ava, was picked early, fermented naturally with 100% whole bunches and aged only in concrete to preserve the primary fruit and crunchy tannins of Syrah grown on these soils.
Even with a modest alc of only 12.5% this wine has a beautiful gripping structure, savoury palate and very expressive nose of fynbos, meat and dark spices. 4844 bottles produced" - Winemaker's notes
Rall Red 2022 Magnum
"Purple and red fruit, herbs, olives and white pepper from the whole-bunch fermentation with a clean focused palate. 100% Whole bunch fermented and matured in a combination of 3000 liter foudre, concrete and old French oak for 10 months before being bottled unfined and lightly filtered and then given a Further 18 months bottle maturation before release. This red wine will drink well now but should no doubt reward patience and only gain drinkability and complexity over the next decade or more." - Winemaker's notes
Rall White 2023 Magnum
"This blend of Chenin Blanc 71%, Verdelho 26% and Viognier 3% that started it all for Rall wines back in 2008 now already in its 16th vintage remains the cornerstone of what we do. No other wine in the portfolio has achieved the level of consistency year on year over the last decade or so and this 2023 is no differnet.
Even after 7 consecutive 5 star Platters ratings this wine I believe is another step up. Grapes are still grown mainly in the ancient granitic soils of the Paardeberg and now also contains a big portion of fruit from the oldest vineyard we work with planted in 1969. All components are fermented naturally and matured separately in a combination of 2000 litre foudre, seasoned small French oak, concrete eggs and amphora before blending and bottling after 10 months with minimal filtration." - Winemaker's notes
Rall Grenache Blanc 2023
"From 2 vineyards in this vintage predominantly the same high altitude bush vines from Piekenierskloof and another vineyard grown on schist.
In the cellar the grapes were whole-bunch pressed and transferred without settling straight to 2 concrete eggs for fermentation and maturation. This vintage has more texture than recent years, flintiness and a touch of reduction typical of early harvested grapes fermented in concrete. As always bottled early after only 8 months to preserve the freshness of this wine. 5652 bottles produced" - Winemaker's notes
Rall Red 2022
"Purple and red fruit, herbs, olives and white pepper from the whole-bunch fermentation with a clean focused palate. 100% Whole bunch fermented and matured in a combination of 3000 liter foudre, concrete and old French oak for 10 months before being bottled unfined and lightly filtered and then given a Further 18 months bottle maturation before release.
This red wine will drink well now but should no doubt reward patience and only gain drinkability and complexity over the next decade or more." - Winemaker's notes
Rall White 2023
"This blend of Chenin Blanc 71%, Verdelho 26% and Viognier 3% that started it all for Rall wines back in 2008 now already in its 16th vintage remains the cornerstone of what we do. No other wine in the portfolio has achieved the level of consistency year on year over the last decade or so and this 2023 is no differnet.
Even after 7 consecutive 5 star Platters ratings this wine I believe is another step up. Grapes are still grown mainly in the ancient granitic soils of the Paardeberg and now also contains a big portion of fruit from the oldest vineyard we work with planted in 1969. All components are fermented naturally and matured separately in a combination of 2000 litre foudre, seasoned small French oak, concrete eggs and amphora before blending and bottling after 10 months with minimal filtration." - Winemaker's notes
Les Perrières de Château Lafleur 2021
"The cooler vintage has lent the 2021 Les Perrières de Lafleur an even greater sense of transparency than preceding vintages, even if this bottling has always had a remarkably pronounced site signature. Unfurling in the glass with deep aromas of raspberries, plums, Indian spices, burning embers and licorice, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and an intensely mineral finish." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
Château Lafleur Grand Village Blanc 2021
"Regularly one of the standout dry white wines from the Bordeaux appellation, the 2021 Blanc, a blend of 73% Sauvignon Blanc (picked on the 9th, 11th and 13th of September) and 27% Sémillon (picked on the 7th of September), offers up a fresh, delicate and elegant bouquet with aromas of lemon oil, lemon, spices, lime tree leaves, menthol and perfectly ripe orchard fruits. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and racy, it's layered and seamless, its concentrated core of fruit underpinned by racy acids, concluding with a calcareous, saline finish." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Château de Saint Cosme Micro-Cosme Grenache/Pinot Noir Non-Vintage
"We have now been experimenting with Pinot noir blended with our Grenache Solera for three years. It's an old idea which gradually took shape thanks to a wonderful source of Pinot noir we were able to access. So from this year, the wine is truly transitioning from the style of the Little James Basket Press (with Grenache made in the Solera style) to the Micro-Cosme style which is a proper blend of Grenache and Pinot noir. I should point out that the 'Grenache' part continues to be our wonderful Solera. The fusion of Grenache and Pinot is a great classic in the history of wine which I would like to resurrect. The two varieties, seemingly so remote in terms of character and the regions where they thrive, are actually fraternal twins which resemble each other and make good bedfellows." Winemaker's notes
Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022 Magnum
Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022," An 80-20 blend of Syrah and Grenache, sourced from the Gard and Vinsobres, the 2022 Cotes du Rhone offers up outstanding aromas of blueberries and stone fruit, with violet-like floral accents. It's medium to full-bodied, silky and concentrated—apt to make any bargain shopper very happy." - Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate
Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022
Château de Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022," An 80-20 blend of Syrah and Grenache, sourced from the Gard and Vinsobres, the 2022 Cotes du Rhone offers up outstanding aromas of blueberries and stone fruit, with violet-like floral accents. It's medium to full-bodied, silky and concentrated—apt to make any bargain shopper very happy." - Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate
Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Rouge 2021
Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Rouge 2021, "Deep magenta. High-toned cherry and blackberry aromas show very good clarity with black pepper and smoky mineral accents. Shows firm tension and a spicy cut to its gently sweet red and dark berry, bitter chocolate and succulent herb flavors. Youthfully gripping tannins lend framework to a long, smoky finish that echoes the spice and floral notes. This is textbook Gigondas, raised in a combination of one-third concrete tanks and two-thirds large oak barrels, 20% of those new." - Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Château de Saint Cosme IGP “Les Deux Albion” Blanc 2022
"The wine is relatively aromatic – roughly on a par with Clairette – and develops scents of marshmallow, watermelon, pear and white flowers. On the palate, the acidity is forward or even slightly disjointed. There is
great palatability. Incorporating the aptly named Saint Côme into our collection of white varieties is a worthwhile experience because it takes us back to the pre-phylloxera world of heirloom grape varieties. In 2022, the Deux Albion is fresh, clean and aromatic as always, with some great sourness on the finish – in a vintage like this, this is a surprising but welcome trait" - Winemaker's notes
