The Liberator Episode 44 ‘Mudlarking’ Chenin Blanc 2023 Piekenierskloof, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

The Liberator, Richard Kelley MW’s parcel-hunting label, seeks out Cape wines with something different to say and bottles them under playful names. ‘Mudlarking’, the old art of scavenging treasure from riverbanks at low tide, suits a wine found off the beaten track and prized for character over polish.

This Chenin Blanc was sourced from Tierhoek in Piekenierskloof, a high, cool ward known for wines of tension and mineral drive. Here the interest lies less in upfront fruit and more in a savoury, layered character, the kind of white that rewards a second and third glass rather than announcing itself all at once.

From the 2023 vintage, this is a Chenin made to reward curiosity, showing depth and grip in place of easy sweetness, with the freshness of a good Cape white year underneath. Chenin’s naturally high acidity gives it the backbone to carry this more oxidative, savoury handling without tipping out of balance, part of what makes the grape such a versatile canvas for Cape winemakers.

Expect orchard fruit and citrus over a gently nutty, saline complexity, a savoury quality that suggests time developing under a veil of flor. The palate is dry, textured and long, with a distinctly grown-up finish that leans more towards the dinner table than the fridge door.

This is one for the adventurous drinker who enjoys the borderland between white wine and fino sherry, or a fine white Burgundy with a little age. Serve it with roast chicken, charcuterie, or a board of hard, mature cheeses.