contact

Pieter H. Walser - CEO, Founder, Winemaker & Driver of BLANKbottle

LANRUST farm, Winery Road, Somerset West

Postnet Suite 160, Private Bag X15,

Somerset West, 7129

Fax: +27 (0)865 030 974

Mobile: +27 (0)82 872 8658

e-mail: pieter@blankbottle.co.za

Q & A  pieter walser

Compiled by Mrs BLANKbottle, Aneen Walser

What do you love most about your job? Being able to express my personality and values in what I do. Highlight of your career? I’ll let you know soon as I figure that one out. I see it as watering a garden – you keep on doing it every day, but you don’t necessarily see it grow. There’s no a-ha moment, but if I look back over the past 6 years, it’s been one big highlight. If you were a wine what would you be? A blend for sure. Definitely not a single vineyard man. Next big wine trend? Going back to the basics and producing terroir driven wines. Not areas according to SAWIS but areas according to soil climate and topography. What’s the first thing you do when you get home? Get attack by the kids (after driving past the beach to see if there’s surf) What’s the similarities between surfing and wine? The search for great waves is much like my search for great fruit - both are 100% depended on nature; soil, topography and climate. It cannot be rushed, forced or manipulated. And if you happened to be at the right place, at the right time, great things could happen! Wine industry pet hate? Don’t have any, I do not have the time to hate. Perfect weekend? Having time to be creative and early morning coffee with my wife and kids. Winemaking philosophy? Hide your similarities and celebrate your differences. Best influence thus far in your business? No family money! Having to do everything myself lets the creative juices flow. Passions? Interesting Wines (naturally), good coffee, influencing people, aiming to define marketing, surfing, living my life purpose, discovering new wine marketing tools, adding value wherever I go, figuring out my wife, and embracing who my kids are. I am constantly amazed by: people who have the ability to be true to themselves and thereby differentiate themselves from the norm. I can't live without? Nothing that I can’t live without. I believe that one needs to be able to adapt, like the time when I was booked off surfing (and driving) for a year, that was a difficult time, but not impossible. I think up my best ideas. When I have a problem / obstacle. My best friend calls them growing opportunities. Do you own a dog? No, if something can’t live via photosynthesis, I’m not interested...