TAKE A NEW LOOK AT CHENIN BLANC

Creating quite a stir; Chenin Blanc with its versatility and style.

Chenin Blanc is mentioned in many a wine talk and is fast becoming a variety of choice. You’ve heard it before’ “this wine is a great food partner” which implies you need a plate of food to actually enjoy the wine (relax, just joking), what is true is that Chenin Blanc loves food, but is also fantastic on its own.

In South Africa wine producers focus mainly on two styles of Chenin; Rich and Creamy or Fresh and Fruity. So, if you prefer a fuller style in wine, head over to the barrel fermented, bushvine, extended-lees-contact section of you favourite outlet. Or maybe you should be on the look out for a refreshing, tropical, fruit driven wine – just look to your ‘left’, because you will see a lot more Chenin Blanc on the shelves in future. And not just any Chenin Blanc, but truly great Chenin Blancs.

Dry, off-dry or sweet: For for all the ‘dry wine only drinkers’, do yourselves a favour and don’t frown or get the “well that is just not gonna happen look” when you see a off-dry Chenin of 6mg/l+ of sugar on the back label. But rest assured, there are plenty of dry Chenin Blancs to choose from too.

The wine typically displays aromas and flavours of apples, pineapples, apricot, honey and nuts. It has a high natural acidity which will appreciate the citrus flavours in dishes like fish with a dash of fresh lemon. The fuller style of Chenin Blanc with a Thai dish, curry or creamy, sweet chicken salad. Will it go with dessert? Oh yes, the sweeter Chenins most assuredly – chocolate, cheese platter or just “neat” – in my opinion you are in for a treat.

 

We’ve asked Oldenburg Vineyard’s winemaker, Simon Thompson (whose favourite white cultivar is Chenin Blanc – naturally), to tell us a bit about why their Chenin Blanc is so special

 

To give you a great example of the versatility of this variety, we asked Arno Albertyn, Winemaker at Knoehoek Wine Estate to explain some of the interesting methods he uses in the cellar. This is where grape pickers get picky and winemakers get… creative. White wine naturally ferments on the skins, need I say more?

 

More reading: Chenin Blanc association  |  Knorhoek, 40 Days on the Skins Shiraz | Knorhoek  |  Oldenburg

Expect to pay: Knorhoek 2010 R45, Knorhoek 2011 R75, Oldenburg 2011 R118

This is a BottlePlatePillow exclusive – Post and Video by Charles Lourens

BottlePlatePillow productions: Guerrilla-style video blog on a budget

Producers: Should you have an interesting Chenin story, please get in touch info@bottleplatepillow.co.za

 

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