The Liberator Episode 42 ‘Midnight Bakkie Rides Again’ Chenin Blanc 2022 Piekenierskloof, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

The Liberator, Richard Kelley MW’s parcel-rescue label, hunts out small lots of quietly brilliant Cape wine and bottles them under playful names. ‘Midnight Bakkie Rides Again’ nods to the humble farm pickup, the bakkie, that ferries fruit from vineyard to cellar, and the joke suits a wine liberated a little off the beaten track.

This Chenin Blanc was sourced from Alheit Vineyards, among the most celebrated names in South African white wine, and drawn from the high, sandy soils of Piekenierskloof. Mature bush vines in this cool, high-lying ward tend to give concentration, salinity and a real sense of place, and Chenin Blanc has long been the Cape’s signature white, capable of everything from easy freshness to this kind of serious depth.

The 2022 vintage produced Cape whites with good drive and definition, a fitting frame for a Chenin built on tension rather than weight, with the acidity to carry its concentration. It is worth remembering that Piekenierskloof has only recently earned its wider reputation, which makes wines like this a relatively modern Cape success story.

On the palate expect white peach, quince and citrus pith, wrapped around a wet-stone minerality and a gently saline finish. It is textured and layered, with the length and grip you would hope for from this pedigree of fruit, and enough structure to develop further over the next few years.

This is Chenin for the enthusiast, a wine to sit alongside fine white Burgundy or top Loire Chenin in interest. Serve it with roast pork, richer seafood dishes or a board of mature Cape cheeses.