BLANKbottle Moment of Silence 2025
| Producer | BLANKBottle |
|---|---|
| Country | South Africa |
| Region | Western Cape |
| Wine Type | White Wine |
| Body / Style | Aromatic |
| Grape Blend | Mainly Chenin Blanc with Grenache Blanc & Viognier |
| Bottle Size (ml) | 750 |
| % Abv | 13.5 |
| Vintage | 2025 |
| Special Features | Vegan |
| Extra Info | Textured, stone-fruited, fresh |
| Food Pairing Guide | This textured, stone-fruited white blend is a brilliant food wine with plenty of versatility. It’s lovely with roast chicken with lemon and thyme, pork belly with apple, or roast pork with crackling and apple sauce. Its weight and gentle spice suit fragrant dishes such as Thai yellow curry, Moroccan chicken tagine with apricots, or a mild Malaysian curry. Seafood works well too, especially richer fish like salmon, monkfish or hake in a creamy sauce, crab linguine or scallops with brown butter. Vegetarians could try butternut squash risotto, roasted root vegetables with honey and thyme, or a creamy leek and Gruyère tart. It’s also a great match for a cheeseboard, particularly Comté, aged Gouda or a soft washed-rind cheese. Serve it lightly chilled rather than ice-cold. |
BLANKbottle Moment of Silence is the flagship white from one of South Africa’s most original winemakers, Pieter Walser. BLANKbottle is famous for its unconventional approach: wines are made from interesting vineyard parcels across the Cape, and the grape varieties are never named on the front label, so drinkers taste with an open mind. Moment of Silence is a permanent fixture in the range and its largest production wine. It is a warm-climate Wellington blend of old bush-vine Chenin Blanc from three vineyards on the Groenberg, with Grenache Blanc and a touch of Viognier. After buying these grapes for a couple of years, Pieter’s mother found a family connection to the land while researching the family tree.
In the glass it is bright and inviting, with aromas of golden delicious apples, ripe pears and apricots. Hints of lemon and a gentle floral lift come from the Viognier. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete, amphorae and old oak, followed by time on the lees, gives the palate a creamy texture and a savoury, almost umami undertone. Partly skin-fermented Grenache Blanc adds subtle grip and structure. It finishes long and fresh, with a lovely lift of acidity. It’s a characterful, food-friendly white that rewards a few years in the bottle.
