BLANKbottle "The Bomb" '20

BLANKbottle’s winemaker and founder, Pieter Walser, sources grapes for his wide array of wines from vineyards throughout the Western Cape, producing reds and whites in a range of styles yet always with the focus on making sure they are delicious. “The Bomb” is a heavyweight Bordeaux blend, made of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Walser explains that it was only natural to name this wine “The Bomb,” in honor of his agent in Germany, who, according to Walser, “has a big frame, laughs loudly, and lives large,” and who loved the wine and wanted to buy all of it upon first tasting it.

All the grapes for this blend are from the Stellenbosch region, located about an hour’s drive from Cape Town and considered the heart of the South African wine industry. Here, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted variety, and Bordeaux blends are the hallmark of the region. The Cabernet Sauvignon and the Petit Verdot that Walter were grown on the Helderberg facing the Stellenbosch mountain, and the Cabernet Franc was grown on the Stellenbosch mountain facing the Helderberg. The Helderberg in particular is revered for its slopes, as the mountain is perpendicular to the coastline and channels the ocean breezes to either side, influencing a broad swath of Stellenbosch.

The 2020 blend is composed of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Cabernet Franc, and 12% Petit Verdot. The grapes were destemmed and placed in open top fermenters, where the juice underwent spontaneous fermentation. After pressing, the wines were aged in old, small French oak barrels for 18 months, then blended and bottled. Expect notes of blackberry, cassis, plum, chocolate, and green herbs, and it will pair well with nearly all red meat.