Blank Bottle Luuks 2022

BLANKBottle produces a diverse range of wines that vary from year to year, crafted by renowned winemaker Pieter H. Walser during his explorations through South African vineyards. What sets Walser's operation apart is that he doesn't own any vineyards and seldom repeats the same wine. Instead, he sources grapes from approximately 60 vineyards scattered across the Western Cape. His unconventional approach extends beyond the label, as he intentionally avoids divulging information about the grapes or blend. Walser prefers to maintain a laid-back attitude towards winemaking, simply letting things flow without overthinking.

Luuks began in 2019, when Pieter bought his first ever new oak barrel. Selecting a plot of outstanding Stellenbosch Chardonnay to christen the barrel, he named the wine Luuks, which means 'luxury' in Afrikaans. From a cool south-facing site at the organic Navarre farm in the Helderberg which gives fantastic freshness and stony minerality, then fermented in a mixture of old and new barrels.

A complex and concentrated wine, with deftly managed oak notes of cinnamon and buttered toast, golden apple and apricot fruit and a firm stony mineral quality. An extremely fine and serious Chardonnay to rival the best from anywhere in the world in our opinion, and with the ability to develop further in the bottle.