BlankBottle "Pierre Le Cois" Stellenbosch Red Blend 2021
VIN
92+
WA
92+
Location Availability:
Location Availability:
VIN
92+
WA
92+
Winemaker's Notes
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot from Helderberg in Stellenbosch. VSP trellis vineyards protected from the South Easter, located in the middle of the Helderberg 200 meters above sea level. High soil water holding capacity - high clay content generated from decomposed scale. The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness and cooled overnight to 4 degrees celsius. The next morning the grapes were destemmed to open top fermenters. The juice underwent spontaneous fermentation and stayed on the skins for as long as possible. Pressed into French oak small barrels - 40% new, 18 months in barrel, blended and bottled.
What We Think
Vin Chicago: 92+ Points
The 2021 Pierre Le Cois took home the crown as the favorite wine of one of our staff member's trips down to South Africa in 2024. Since then, this wine has continued to age remarkably, with the blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot totally refining its impressive structure and allowing more dark fruit to develop on the palate, with strong notes of plum, currant and elderberry merging gracefully into a snappy rhubarb and peppery finish. What a wine! Massively overdelivering for its price point, this wine is ready to rip now, but will get even better if you can hold off on it for a couple more years. Pair this delight with flank steak, pork chops, or anything off the grill and you'll have an evening to remember!
What Critics Think
Wine Advocate : 92+ Points
"(5/9/2024) The 2021 Pierre Le Cois, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, presents a refined and fresh profile with mineral nuances and notes of redcurrant, crème de cassis, graphite and pencil shavings. This rustic yet fresh wine showcases its red fruit character and is expected to remain food-friendly for over a decade. It boasts a medium to full-bodied presence, with a tannic structure, lively acidity and a long, spicy finish. In essence, it's a wine that overdelivers. After spending 18 months in oak, with 35% new, a total of 2,667 bottles were produced."
