General J. – a blend of Pinot Noir, Cinsaut and Grenache noir. 

The Story

Today I’m releasing General J. – a record time from grape to bottle… 4 months ago General J. was still blushing its red berry skin in the African sun. Today you have the opportunity to take it to your glass. In true BLANKBOTTLE fashion I could have actually called it “Kortpad glas toe” – a 2022 blend of Pinot Noir, Cinsaut and Grenache noir.

24 years ago for me, lightning struck – it was the vines of Alsace on the border of France and Germany that finally convinced me. From that moment forward, I wanted to be part of the rough life of a farmer and the process and eventual expression thereof in the classy, sophisticated product of wine. At the time I was working for Jean-Luc Meckert who has a small, family owned vineyard and cellar in Alsace. One evening at the end of harvest, as I entered the town square, I was handed a plastic cup filled with wine – the first of the season. To them, that plastic cup of wine resembled a celebration of a vintage that was embedded into the vine in deep winter, a vintage that battled against the winds and battened down the hatches as early heat waves struck with untimely rain. It represented a collective sigh of relief as the farmers took the grapes into the cellars of Alsace. These celebratory first wines of the season first started becoming very popular in the 1800’s and a wine style in its own right was born. The most well known of these wines come from an area in France called Beaujolais, and they subsequently call these wines Beaujolais Nouveau. So today I invite you to the premier of our 2022 vintage – General J. 2022 – fresh, vibrant and young – the epitome of potential – the potential of another memorable vintage – now in its deep winter rest inside our cellar.

Technical Information

Cultivar: Cinsaut 39%, Pinot Noir 30.5%, Grenache Noir 30.5%

Vintage: 2022

Region: Western Cape

Amount of Bottles Produced: 820

Vineyard: Vines from various vineyards in Breedekloof, Wellington, Stellenbosc and Elgin.

Winemaking: The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness and cooled overnight to 4 degrees celsius. The next morning the grapes were part destemmed and part taken as whole bunches to open top fermenters. Fermented spontaneously and left on the skins for 3 weeks. Pressed into older French oak barrels. 1 month in barrel, blended and bottled.

Alcoholic Strenght: 12.5% / Vol

Acidity: 4.99 g/l

PH: 3.76

Reducing Sugar: 1.9 g/l

Free SO2: 30 ppm

Total SO2: 70 ppm

Volatile Acidity: 0.59 g/l

Closure: DIAM

Vegan: Yes