Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc is a super cool French grape that I am very into.
Why, you ask?
It’s interesting and complex, without being weird.
If you Like Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc…
Chenin has some of that same bright acidity.
If you like Chardonnay…
Chenin has that heavier body.
I feel like it speaks to everyone.
Chenin has a lot of acid, which lets winemakers work it in all kinds of ways: sparkling Chenin, dry Chenin, dessert Chenin…they make them all. That high acidity can also be challenging; harvest the grapes too soon and it’s completely overwhelming.
I love that Chenin Blanc can be beautifully round and soft with floral and fruit flavors, but also bursting with bright acidity. It can have a really expressive and intense fragrance and be darker in color—more yellow than straw—like this bottle of Chenin Blanc from Saumur. (Saumur is in the Loire Valley in France—which is south and west of Paris. Fun fact: Coco Chanel was born there.)
Even though Chenin Blanc originated in France, the biggest Chenin producer today is South Africa, where the grape is also called Steen.
At first glance, the Chenin in this picture looks almost like a dessert wine, but it’s anything but sweet. It has a toasty, almost smoky, apple smell; some white flowers like honeysuckle & chamomile, and even a hint of star fruit*.
*If you’ve never had star fruit, forgive me for offering a slightly fancy fruit comparison here, but sometimes I just see star fruit when I close my eyes and sip a wine. Star fruit tastes like a mix of pears, apples, grapes, and orange—so it works its way into a lot of wine aromas and tastes.
On first sip, this Chenin Blanc has a fabulous saltiness and mineral quality (probably from the limestone-clay soil in Saumur), and bright, tart acidity, with a really soft round finish.
That’s what I truly love about Chenin. It manages to combine bright acidity with fuller body. It’s complex and interesting, and it’s delicious with really basic foods: cheese, chicken, a nice salad or a piece of fish.
Chin to Chenin!
