![]() Certainly, all well-made Chenin Blanc wines have the potential to age and it is with a little age that their complexity and richness will shine. Others, such as the sweeter Vouvray and Quarts de Chaume, may be cellared for 20+ years with ease. Some fresh and fruity styles are made to drink well immediately. Moelleux: Usually made from botrytized grapes, this style can age gracefully for decades, constantly evolving in the bottle.ĭoux: The most syrupy sweet style. Think mandarins, oranges and toasted almonds, blended with peaches drenched in honey and marzipan. The pears will be riper, the ginger flavor will be richer, and you may enjoy a little honeycomb. The primary flavors will be of unripe pears, a touch of ginger, and crisp apples.ĭemi sec: When a little extra of the natural sugar remains, you will get a slightly smoother, dry Chenin Blanc with slightly lower acidity. A dry Vouvray will often have so much acid it needs at least a few years to settle down and become integrated enough to enjoy. Sec: This bone dry, very fresh style will produce a wine that has a clean and mineral aroma. There are four basic levels of sweetness: Some see oak aging, while others are pure stainless. Common flavors include fig, honey, apple, pear, peach, nuts, and ginger. Even when comparing two very similar Chenin Blanc wines, it is not unusual for them to exhibit quite different profiles. Given the variety of wine styles produced from this wonderfully complex grape, the flavors and aromas of Chenin Blanc can vary greatly. This is mainly due to the new generation of winemakers and hip sommeliers looking for something fresh, different, and food-friendly, to lure white wine drinkers from their predictable Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay slumber. Since the early 2000’s, Chenin Blanc has experienced a resurgence in the USA. Photo via FlickrĬhenin Blanc can also be found in such diverse areas as the Colombia Valley, Texas High Plain, New York and Minnesota – to name a few. At one time, the United States had more acreage of this varietal than France! Sadly, most of these grapes were pulled to make room for more “fashionable” grape varieties, although there are still isolated pockets across California.Ĭhenin blanc grapes getting some hangtime before harvest. Before the 1980’s (and the rise of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc), there were large pockets of Chenin Blanc grown throughout California – particularly in the Napa Valley. What does he call it? “The Big Easy”, of course. These days, even the golfer, Ernie Els, has a vineyard producing wine from Chenin Blanc grapes. As a result, they have a number of vineyards which are able to produce excellent wine from their “old bush vines”. Initially, the grape was used as the primary ingredient in their numerous, large, brandy production facilities.Īfter nearly 400 years of practice, South Africa is now producing top quality examples of these wines and there are more Chenin Blanc vines in South Africa than in the rest of the world combined. While the Loire Valley may be Chenin’s stomping grounds, South Africa grows more of this grape than any other country. It was introduced there around 1655 and it is mostly found in the Stellenbosch and Swartland regions. The Quarts de Chaume and Bonnezeaux appellations especially are known for their dessert wines with near limitless aging potential. ![]() These are selected for the sweeter wines. As the season prolongs, remaining clusters gain higher sugar levels and some become affected by noble rot. ![]() The less ripe grapes have more acid and are a perfect base for making sparkling wine. The grape ripens quite unevenly, and often requires strict hand harvesting to ensure quality. As the name suggests, this white grape is of French origin and has been a fixture in the Loire Valley since the ninth century.
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