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90POINTS
16½/20
Blankbottle The Life of a Black Valentine 2015
Western Cape, South AfricaGaragiste winemaker Pieter Walser makes “wines that tread the line between creative and legal.” Half of his wines are one-off experiments, and if they perform well, they may be repeated. However, that’s not the point. “If I can one day have 50 wines in my portfolio I would be happy” notes Walser. And from a man that has worked with (at least) 28 grape varieties in one vintage. This wine is predominantly cinsault (from Darling) along with Swartland syrah and mouvèdre. This wine is dedicated to the "Black Valentine" of the South African wine industry, humble cinsault. For many years cinsault would be added in secret to the press when cabernet sauvignon's thick, gummy skins would clog up the works. Cinsault's bright, high-acid juice became an edible lubricant for the press, one that greatly improved the freshness of the heady cabernet wines of the time and contributed to the wines' longevity in the bottle. This blend is certainly full of cinsault charm: fresh, light in hue, with wild raspberry, pretty cherry and crunchy, brisk acidity. A lifted herbal rock-rose florality floats throughout, with dusty-fine tannins and black pepper to frame. Gulpable, and best enjoyed slightly chilled.Tasted: 28 October 2016Tasted by: Treve RingPrices:| BC | $35.00 | 750ml | private wine shops |
Blend: Cinsault - Syrah - MourvèdreCSPC: 737393
