The Liberator Episode 46 Last Leaf on the Tree Riesling 2021 Elgin, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

The Liberator is the label of Richard Kelley MW, a British wine buyer with a deep love of South Africa. Each release is an ‘episode’, a small parcel of wine he has tracked down and bottled with a story attached, often fruit that might otherwise have been lost in a larger blend.

Episode 46, ‘Last Leaf on the Tree’, is a Riesling, a grape that remains a rarity at the Cape. This bottling comes from cool, high-lying vineyards in Elgin, an upland ward whose altitude and sea-cooled air suit aromatic whites and help them hold their bright natural acidity.

The 2021 vintage was a fine one for Cape whites, with a long, even ripening that favoured freshness and clarity. Fermented cool to protect its delicate aromatics, the wine keeps a taut, focused line from start to finish, the sort of tension that marks Riesling grown in a genuinely cool site.

In the glass it is pale and bright, with lifted aromas of lime, green apple and white peach, floral hints and a stony, mineral note. The palate is dry and racy, balancing keen acidity with just enough mid-palate weight, and it finishes precise and mouthwatering. Serve well chilled with spiced Asian dishes, fresh seafood or goat’s cheese.

If you enjoy dry, cool-climate Riesling from Germany or Australia’s Clare Valley, this Cape version is worth seeking out. It is a characterful, food-loving white, and a rare chance to taste Riesling from South Africa. Best served young and well chilled, it will also hold in the fridge for a day or two once opened.