BLANKbottle, Moment Of Silence, Wellington 2022 - 75cl

Pieter Walser doesn't print grape varieties on his labels. The story goes that a customer once bought a case of his unlabelled Shiraz after insisting she wanted anything but Shiraz, then came back for more calling it the best thing she'd ever drunk. He took the lesson to heart. So the name here tells you nothing and everything: a Moment Of Silence, from Wellington.

What's inside is a blend of Chenin Blanc with Grenache Blanc and a splash of Viognier, all grown around Wellington on organically farmed sites, some of it old bush-vine Chenin. Walser is the Hunter S Thompson of Cape winemaking, no vineyards of his own, thousands of harvest miles on the clock, roughly thirty different cuvees a year. This one saw whole-bunch pressing and wild fermentation split across concrete eggs, amphora and older French oak, then ten months on lees with barely a pinch of sulphur.

The result plays fruit against stone. Apricot and mango lead, ginger and lemongrass flicker underneath, and there's a chalky, almost saline grip that keeps the aromatics honest. At 13.5% it has flesh, but the texture stays taut rather than fat. Drink it over the next two to three years while the fruit is singing.

How to Serve

Serve at 9-11 degrees in a generous white glass. It opens up as it warms slightly in the hand, so resist over-chilling. No decant needed, though the aromatics reward a few minutes in the glass.

Where to Drink It

Kudu in Peckham, whose South African kitchen is its natural home. The Quality Chop House for the way its acidity cuts through rich cooking. Planque in Haggerston for a low-intervention crowd who will recognise the maker.

Food Pairings

This was built for a bit of spice. Try it with a Cape Malay chicken curry, the apricot note picking up the fruit in the sauce. It also loves grilled prawns with chilli and lime, or a plate of charcuterie and pickles on a warm afternoon.