Have you tried Chenin Blanc before? If you haven’t, you’re missing out on a grape variety that really offers something for everyone. Whether you like still, sweet or sparkling wine, this white grape variety offers something for everyone with its versatile style and ability to adapt to a wide variety of tastes. There really is a Chenin Blanc for every occasion. And in this Chenin Blanc Wine Guide, we dive into everything you need to know about this grape, from flavour profile, to origin, to food pairings.
Chenin Blanc wine guide
Chenin Blanc can be produced into a white or sparkling, dry or sweet wine. Usually, it has strong fruity notes and mouthwatering acidity. Its popularity has been growing for years, and despite originating in France, most of it is now produced in South Africa! The great thing about Chenin Blanc is that it has the potential to appeal to a range of tastes and textural preferences.
Origin of Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc is originally from the Loire Valley in Central France, and can still be found there today despite its growing popularity in the new world of wine. You won’t find Chenin Blanc listed on the label of the wines of France though, so make sure you look out for names such as Vouvray, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume, Montlouis or Coteaux du Layon, Savennieres or Anjou. These are all Chenin Blanc.
The flavour profile of Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc has a range of flavours depending on the winemaking style:
- Dry Chenin Blanc: when produced as a still, white wine, Chenin Blanc is often lean and mineral with notes of pear, quince, ginger and chamomile. Winemakers can also oak Chenin Blanc for a style similar to oaked Chardonnay.
- Off-Dry Chenin Blanc: Sometimes a winemaker will leave some natural sugars in the wine and you’ll get a style with richer flavours of ripe pear, ginger, jasmine, passionfruit and honeycomb.
- Sweet Chenin Blanc: Sometimes winemakers will leave the grapes on the vine, and the grapes may be impacted by noble rot. These wines have notes of toasted almond, mango, ginger and mandarin
- Sparkling Chenin Blanc: Sparkling wines can range from dry (Brut) to sweet (Demi-Sec) with notes of quince, apple, ginger and a hint of floral notes.
Where you’ll find Chenin Blanc
Despite its origins in France, 55% of all Chenin Blanc in the world is planted in South Africa, and only 30% is grown in France. It also thrives in California and can be found in Australia too (although not in such large amounts). For a while, South African Chenin Blanc was known by its Afrikaans name Steen, so you might still find this on labels. In France, Vouvray and Sanennieres are the most well-known regions, but Anjoy and Saumur are also highly regarded.
What to pair with Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc’s bright acidity makes it perfect for pairing with richer foods. The zippy acidity cuts through butter and cream beautifully. It’s a great pairing for roast chicken and turkey, as well as dishes with a sweet and sour note such as those from Southeast Asia and pork belly dishes. The dry style also goes well with fish and salads. Sparkling Chenin Blanc is perfect as an aperitif with nuts or salty potato chips.
So you see, Chenin Blanc is a great wine for pairing with food too!
Summary: Chenin Blanc wine guide
Chenin Blanc is versatile in its flavour profiles, offering something to suit everyone’s palate. But this also makes it a great food wine as it is great for pairing with plenty of dishes, from apertif to roast turkey at a Thanksgiving dinner. No matter how you want to enjoy it, there is plenty to discover when it comes to Chenin Blanc.