Just a month ago it was Chardonnay Day – arguably the Queen of white grapes. Now we are exploring one of the coolest food-friendly varieties with Chenin Blanc. Fresh fruited, mineral, and floral in its youth, Chenin Blanc is also capable of producing ageworthy wines due to its naturally high acidity. As it matures it will gift you with honeyed stone fruits combined with a smoky minerality.
Chenin Blanc’s traditional home is in the Loire Valley. The valley stretches from the Atlantic coast far into the centre of France and has long been known for making some of the best white wines in the world (especially when it comes to pairing with seafood).
Here you can find Chenin in a myriad of different styles, from sparkling to still and bone dry to lusciously sweet. In terms of sparkling production by volume, the Loire Valley comes in second only to Champagne.
The wines of Vouvray region of the Loire offer the whole range of styles. These wines typically show notes of ripe lemon, yellow grapefruit, hay, and apple complimented by honeysuckle and a steely minerality. In their youth they are vibrant, food friendly wines that pair well with seafood – especially with richer sauces – and are ready to drink upon release. When sparkling, think oysters (freshly shucked or baked) and shellfish boils where the minerality and fresh, tart fruit will compliment briny flavours. Catherine and Pierre Breton’s La Dilettante is one of the best – so good that their website suggests it over “a banal Champagne.”
For serious Chenin lovers, Savennières is where the grape can reach its pinnacle. Staggeringly mineral and intense – these wines show honey, white florals, lemon curd, pear and quince and are often elevated by winemakers who employ a touch of oak aging or time on lees. These wines are where patience is key as they only get better and more complex with age. JAK’s carries Domaine aux Moines 1999…a perfect example of the beautiful long life these wines can have.
There are certainly a lot of semi-sweet to lusciously sweet versions of Chenin Blanc that exist although they are a rare find. Wines of Coteaux du Layon are particularly famed as dessert wines and late harvest versions from Vouvray are delightful when paired to balance spicy food.
Chenin Blanc does not just stay at home in France. Clarksburg in California has gained a reputation for quality Chenin Blanc, and there are some vineyards committed to the grape in New Zealand and Australia. We produce some in BC as well, with Quails Gate being the most recognizable label around town.
South Africa produces high quality Chenin Blanc where the area dedicated to plantings is double that of its French homeland! Here Chenin is particularly valued for its natural acidity as it can produce vibrant, high quality wines in the warm Cape climate. It grows just about every corner of the Western Cape and likely has for centuries albeit under its local synonym, Steen.
Much like in the Loire Valley, South Africa produces a range of expressions of Chenin Blanc. It is used in making the national sparkling wine called Method Cap Classique both as a single varietal bottling or as a blending partner to the traditional Champagne grapes. These wines offer a riper style than from the Loire but are perfectly tuned for local cuisine and are a delightful pairing for smoky barbecue (braai) dishes.
Sweet wines, also called Straw Wines, are also produced, and are particularly celebrated as pairings for cheese courses and desserts. However, dry styles here do reign supreme and there are plenty of fantastic examples of South African Chenin in market that are perfect for summer. South African producers value their old vine plantings and Chenin Blanc is no exception. Many producers like Bellingham, The Grape Grinder and Ken Forrester will have ‘Old Vines’ printed on their labels, which indicates vineyards 35 years and older to recognize the quality wine they produce (for more info visit oldvineproject.co.za).
These wines are show off their terroir made up of some of the oldest soils in the world. Here you will find that lemon curd, white florals, and slight honeyed nose but, in contrast to Vouvray, the palate bursts with white peach, ripe nectarine and apricot with a purity of fruit that is distinctly ‘Cape.’
Perfect as a summer patio sipper, South African Chenin will also pair beautifully with Indian and Thai curry dishes bringing a refreshing fruit contrast to richer sauces. It is also my pick as the perfect pairing for Sushi – umami and soy flavours make these wines sing!
So, no matter where it’s coming from, seek out some Chenin! Drink Chenin Day is June 19th and I know I’m going to be enjoying a glass.
Blog written by Andrew Forsyth
Andrew Forsyth is a sommelier at L’abattoir Restaurant in Vancouver who also moonlights at Jak’s South Granville location. He currently holds the title of Sommelier of the Year from Wines of British Columbia and is working towards his Advanced Sommelier designation.