91
Our Score
(10/2020) Blankbottle winemaker Pieter Walser is a maverick, his winemaking approach is: you give him fantastic grapes, he'll give you fantastic wine. They don't necessarily need to be from a fabled 200-year-old historic vineyard, planted on southwest facing volcanic slopes, for him to make fantastic wine. He has turned into something of an expert grape-hunter. This ideology brings us to the story of "Pseudonym". Pieter was at the property of a farmer from whom he buys grapes, and noticed a small vineyard in a little valley that he had never seen picked. When Pieter asked why the farmer never sold from that vineyard, he learned the birds in that valley pick the vines clean every year, so come harvest time - there aren't enough grapes. When Pieter found out the vines were 60+ years old, it piqued his interest. He made the farmer a deal, Pieter would buy bird nets to protect the fruit if he sold only to Pieter at harvest. It ended up being a great gamble because Pseudonym is one of our favorite Blankbottle's wines to date. The nose is super-fresh, bursting with lively red fruit. A light and bright, but rambunctious, palate features bouncy acidity, great fruit, a smidge of black tea, and pretty floral aspects. This vibrant, juicy 100% Cinsault is everything you want in an easy-drinking wine and would go great with grilled chicken tacos. Drink now!
