BlankBottle Familiemoord 2022

The BlankBottle brand is one of the most exciting wine brands around with a strong conceptual background where the winemaker, Pieter Walser, urges consumers to enjoy wine without judging it by its variety. Therefore, the variety of the wine is not indicated on the label. The Familiemoord (“family murder”) is an unusual name and has an intriguing label: a newspaper clipping from the Cape Argus of 11 May 2013. It tells the story of a man (Pieter Walser) who allegedly buried his son alive, but it turned out to be a huge misunderstanding. Pieter’s story can be found here: https://blankbottle.co.za/blank_bottle_wines/familiemoord-non-vintage/

This wine does not only thrive on its amazing story which fascinates guests, it is also a fantastic wine! Familiemoord is a Grenache from Piekenierskloof, the perfect site for this variety in South Africa. It has a very light red colour in the glass, with floral notes against a clean backdrop of red fruit and herbs. It delivers on the palate what it promises on the nose: a soft wine with an elegant entry, velvety tannins, fresh strawberries, raspberries, green herbs and a hint of cedar. It has a long, fresh finish of red fruit.

Although this wine would work well with some lamb chops and Mediterranean roast vegetables, I would recommend that it is enjoyed on its own. It will benefit from a slight chill, but it is not necessary to decant the wine. It has an ageing potential of up to 10 years, but is probably enjoyed best while young. Less than 2000 bottles of this wine was made and it is a must-try for any Grenache-lover, story-lover or anyone who has not tried any of Pieter Walser’s wines.

Producer: BlankBottle

Variety: Grenache

Vintage: 2022

Origin: Piekenierskloof, Western Cape, South Africa

Winemaker: Pieter Walser

Closure: Cork

Alcohol: 13.5%

RS: 1.8g/l

Average price: R310

Rating: 97/100