The tale behind the name BLANKbottle is that when Pieter was starting out, he made a small parcel of Shiraz and was left with a few unlabelled cases. One day, a woman wanted to buy a wine – “Anything but Shiraz,” she told him. Pieter shrugged and sold her the unlabelled Shiraz, neglecting to mention the variety. A few weeks later she returned demanding more, saying it was the best thing she’d ever drunk. For Pieter, it was a lesson on the gap between what people think they like (or dislike) and what they actually like (or dislike). After that, he decided not to list the varieties on his labels.

He's one of the most original winemakers we've come accross, with a far from orthodox journey into wine that's continued in everything he does with the BLANKbottle. He went to study winemaking at university when in his mid-twenties, already married and with a child, with his classmates fresh out of school. He's never worked for another winemaker in South Africa, and has built up his business from scratch on a wing and a prayer, with a whole lot of natural talent and an irrepressible thirst for the exciting and the unconventional.

Not owning any vineyards, like a Hunter S Thompson of South African winemaking, Pieter scours the Cape Winelands for exciting sites, clocking up thousands of miles each harvest driving to pick from vineyards hours away from his cellar, from Ceres to Stellenbosch, and just about every grape variety you've heard of, Chardonnay to Chenin, Viognier to Verdelho. In any given year, he makes around 30 different cuvees, all with an often amusing or brilliant story behind the name too. A number of wines are only ever produced as once offs, and in true Walser style, he designs all the labels himself too.

The Western Cape is South Africa’s most important wine region, producing the majority of the country’s wines and home to world-renowned appellations such as Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek, and Constantia. The region benefits from a Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers moderated by cooling Atlantic and Indian Ocean breezes, particularly the Cape Doctor wind, which reduces disease pressure and preserves acidity. Winters are mild and wet, ensuring sufficient rainfall for healthy vineyards.

Soils are diverse, ranging from decomposed granite and sandstone to shale and alluvial deposits, providing excellent drainage and a range of terroirs suited to different grape varieties. This diversity allows both red and white grapes to thrive. Chenin Blanc, historically the most planted, shows remarkable versatility, producing styles from fresh and zesty to rich and barrel-aged. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and increasingly Rhône whites also flourish. On the red side, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate in Bordeaux-style blends, while Shiraz (Syrah) and Pinotage, South Africa’s signature grape, are widely celebrated.

Wine styles vary from crisp, mineral-driven whites to powerful, structured reds. Flavours often combine ripe New World fruit—plum, cassis, tropical notes—with Old World elegance, freshness, and spice, giving Western Cape wines a distinctive balance of richness and refinement.

Grenache, known as Garnacha in Spain, is one of the world’s most widely planted and versatile red grape varieties. Believed to have originated in Aragon, northeastern Spain, it spread across the Mediterranean and is now integral to many of the world’s great wine regions. It thrives in hot, dry climates and is particularly drought-resistant, with late-ripening characteristics that require long growing seasons.

Viticulturally, Grenache is vigorous and productive, often grown as bush vines to control yield and improve concentration. It prefers well-drained soils like schist, gravel, and sand, contributing to its rich texture and ripeness.

In Spain, Garnacha is prominent in regions such as Priorat, Rioja (often blended), and Aragón, producing wines with ripe red fruit, spice, and earthy notes. In France, Grenache is the backbone of Southern Rhône blends (e.g. Châteauneuf-du-Pape), offering warmth, red berry fruit, and herbal nuances. It is also widely planted in Australia (notably in McLaren Vale), the U.S. (especially California), and South Africa.

Grenache produces a range of styles—from fresh, fruity rosés to powerful reds and fortified wines. Typical flavours include strawberry, raspberry, white pepper, dried herbs, and sometimes leather and liquorice with age. Its soft tannins and plush texture make it both approachable and age-worthy.

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most celebrated and challenging grape varieties, renowned for producing elegant, complex wines. Believed to have originated in Burgundy, France, over 1,000 years ago, it thrives in cooler climates where its thin skin and early ripening nature are best suited. Viticulturally, Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to grow: it is susceptible to rot, mildew, and pests, and requires precise canopy management to balance ripening with acidity retention.

Pinot Noir is planted across the globe, with notable expressions found in Burgundy, Champagne, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, California’s Sonoma Coast, New Zealand’s Central Otago, and Germany’s Baden and Pfalz regions. In Champagne, it is a key component of sparkling wines, typically blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The wine's diverse geographical range means that you might also find it labelled as Red Burgundy, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, or Spätburgunder.

The grape produces wines of delicate colour but remarkable aromatic depth. Typical flavour profiles include red fruits such as cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, often layered with floral notes, earthy undertones, and hints of spice or forest floor as the wines mature. Styles range from light and silky to more structured and age-worthy, depending on climate and winemaking choices. Pinot Noir’s ability to express terroir with precision makes it a favourite among wine lovers, despite — or perhaps because of — its demanding nature in the vineyard.

Cinsault (also spelled Cinsaut) is a versatile red grape variety traditionally associated with the south of France, particularly the Languedoc and Provence regions. It thrives in hot, dry climates and is valued both as a blending grape and, increasingly, for varietal wines. Cinsault is also a key component in many rosés, including those from Provence, and has played a historical role in the wines of North Africa and Lebanon. It is one of the parent grapes of South Africa’s Pinotage, having been crossed with Pinot Noir.

The grape produces light- to medium-bodied wines with soft tannins and moderate acidity. Its aromatic profile is typically fresh and fruit-driven, offering notes of red berries such as strawberry and raspberry, alongside floral hints, spice, and occasionally a touch of earth or garrigue. When yields are controlled and vines are well-managed, Cinsault can produce elegant, perfumed wines with notable finesse.

Viticulturally, Cinsault is prized for its drought resistance and productivity, though it can suffer from poor fruit concentration if overcropped. Its large berries and thin skins make it susceptible to rot in humid conditions, so it is best suited to warm, dry climates. Today, it is seeing renewed interest in regions like South Africa, California, and Australia for fresh, low-intervention winemaking.

Pinotage is a uniquely South African grape variety, created in 1925 by Professor Abraham Perold as a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault (which was then known locally as Hermitage – hence the name). The aim was to combine the elegance of Pinot Noir with the robustness and heat tolerance of Cinsault. In the vineyard, Pinotage is early-ripening, drought-resistant, and well-adapted to the warm, dry conditions of the Cape. It produces small, thick-skinned berries with naturally high levels of sugar, meaning careful vineyard management is needed to avoid excessive alcohol and overly jammy flavours.

Although Pinotage is most widely planted in South Africa – especially in Stellenbosch, Paarl and Swartland – small plantings also exist in New Zealand, California, Brazil and Israel. It is typically vinified as a varietal wine, but is also used in Cape blends alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The styles of Pinotage vary widely: at its best, it produces medium- to full-bodied reds with rich flavours of dark cherry, plum and blackberry, often accompanied by notes of spice, liquorice and savoury earth. Some examples can show a distinctive smoky or coffee character, particularly when oak-aged. More modern interpretations emphasise freshness and purity of fruit, while still retaining Pinotage’s generous richness and velvety tannins.