The Story of Blankbottle:
Blankbottle offers something for those with an open mind and an adventurous spirit. Winemaker Pieter Walser is passionate about telling stories through his wines—both what’s in the bottle and what’s on the label. His goal is to provide an authentic, personal taste, free from the expectations often associated with specific vintages or styles. Pieter collaborates with skilled farmers and experienced viticulturists across the Western Cape and designs his own labels, ensuring a unique and creative expression in every bottle.
“In 2004, a lady came to my house (then also my office) to buy wine. She asked for anything but Shiraz. “I don’t drink Shiraz”, were her exact words. I poured her a glass of wine. She loved it and bought 3 cases. It was a straight Shiraz.” -Pieter Walser
The Story behind the Label:
In January 2016, driving back from a vineyard in the Koue Bokkeveld, I came around a sharp bend near the Witzenberg Pass and had to slam on the brakes — standing right on the white line in the middle of the road was a tiny blonde boy, no older than 18 months, in a nappy and white T-shirt. I picked him up and followed him, hoping he’d lead me home. After a slow walk, we reached a farmhouse where a woman, clearly distressed, ran to meet us. Without introducing myself, I quietly left, knowing he was safe.
For years, I told this story when people asked why I named a wine Little William. I always joked that one day, I’d meet him — maybe over a beer in Knysna — and be able to tell him I once saved his life.
That moment came differently. In 2020, at a hospital in Cape Town, while waiting for my son’s operation, a chance conversation revealed that the woman next to us was from the very farm where I’d returned Little William. Her nephew, William, had gone missing that day — he was the boy I’d found. It wasn’t a bar in Knysna, but a coffee in a hospital that closed the loop.
