2023 Blank Bottle Aasvoël
£29.00
“Made with grapes from Cavalli on the Lower Helderberg, this was fermented in the old barrels that are part of the BLANKbottle style. Picked very early for crispness and focus, it’s taut, tangy, and mouth-wateringly fresh, all greengage, lemongrass and orange zest and a stony finish.”
93 Points, Tim Atkin MW
“Scents of honeysuckle and daffodil overlay yellow fruits on the nose, with a suggestion of acacia honey alongside an intriguing texture that combines oily, mouthcoating breadth with the fine bead of acidity that is Verdelho’s trademark. While Verdelho is rapidly being planted for its contribution to the Cape’s white blends, this bottling from Pieter Walser comes from the oldest plantings in the Cape. Fruit from this Helderberg site is so sought after that Walser feels like an aasvoël, or vulture, scavenging whatever he can get in years where the yield is high enough that some extra fruit can be sold off to occasional clients like Blank Bottle. Fermented in concrete egg and older oak using wild yeasts, this spends 10 months on the lees before bottling; 1,139 bottles were produced.”
92 Points, Jason Millar, Decanter
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Product Description
This is a Verdelho from a single vineyard situated on the Helderberg, Stellenbosch. Aasvoël – an Afrikaans word for a ”vulture” – See the story behind the name below. This started off me being an “Aasvoël”, not able to buy the grapes on a regular basis. But it looks like I might be on the list for the foreseeable future. Let’s see how it goes…
The Story:
In 2014 I received a phone call from a fellow winemaker. “Do you need some Verdelho?” he asked. I am always on the lookout for something interesting and Stellenbosch Verdelho fits the bill.
He is the buyer for this little vineyard but the 2014 crop was huge and his tanks were full. I bought what grapes he had left and the wine turned out to be fantastic! So obviously I would love to buy some every year, but the production of a normal year is not high enough to accommodate another buyer. So I became an Aasvoël – an Afrikaans word for a ”vulture” – sitting on a pole, watching the vineyard. If something falls off the truck, I pick it up (figuratively speaking of course!). In other words, if it is a high production year, I get some grapes. In 2015 I got nothing, 2016 and 2017 came and went and I was still sitting on the pole – eagerly watching. And then in harvest 2018 it came: the call “do you want to make another Aasvoël?” – 100% Stellenbosch Verdelho.
And here I am again, on the pole – waiting…
Information
Varietals: Verdelho
Vintage: 2023
Region: Stellenbosch
Ward: Lower Helderberg
Vineyard: Single vineyard trellised Verdelho on the Helderberg. 122 meter above sea-level on a West facing slope.
Winemaking: The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness and cooled overnight to 4 degrees celsius. The next morning the grapes were pressed as whole bunches. The juice underwent spontaneous fermentation in concrete egg shaped tanks and older French oak barrels. Deep winter the wine received one sulfur addition. 10 months on the lees, blended and bottled.
Technical Analysis
Alcohol Strength: 13.5% / vol
Acidity: 6.64 g/l
Reducing Sugar: 2.7 g/l
PH: 3.18
Free SO2: 24 mg/l
Total SO2: 108 mg/l
Volatile Acidity: 0.57 g/l
Closure: DIAM
Vegan: TRUE
Additional Information
| ABV | 13.5% |
|---|---|
| Bottle Size | Bottle 75cl |
| Colour | White |
| Country | South Africa |
| Critic Score | 93/100 |
| Drink until | 2032 |
| Style | Still |
| Sweetness | Dry |
| Vintage | 2023 |
