Among sommeliers a causa di the United States, Chenin Blanc is currently a must any wine list. But for ordinary US wine drinkers, this white variety remains one of the lesser-known great grapes.
Chenin was once very popular a causa di the United States: a causa di 1988, over 14,500 hectares of this vine were planted a causa di California, while today there are just over 1,600. But there could be an air of change. Winemakers who Chenin often sell their wines quickly. Sure, some of these are a causa di tiny quantities – Palisades Canyon, a causa di Napa Valley, makes some of the best US Chenin I’ve ever had, but it makes less than 100 cases – but others aren’t. And, of course, Chenin is abundant a causa di its homeland, the Loire Valley, as well as a causa di South Africa. Regardless of where it is made, this wine has many characteristics that sommeliers love: a sparkling acidity that makes it at the table; a range of textures, from crisp and light to full and opulent; fascinating fruity aromas, sometimes accentuated by of honey. As John Skupny, of Lang & Reed winery, whose 2023 Chenin Mendocino was among the most popular of our tasting, says, “it’s great to see such a , complex and delicious grape finally have its moment, especially when it comes from so many different regions of the world.” I couldn’t agree more.
Clarksburg Dry Chenin Blanc 2023 – Dry Creek Vineyard This Sonoma County company has been producing Chenin Blanc for decades, and the wine has always stood out for its excellent quality/price ratio. Fresh and juicy, reminiscent of melon and grapefruit.
Chenin Blanc 2024 – Aperture Cellars This Sonoma winery sources the grapes for this ambitious passion fruit-tinged Chenin from vineyards a causa di Clarksburg, at the mouth of the Sacramento River. It is fresh, lively and pleasant and reveals greater complexity with every sip.
Jurassic Park Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2024 – Naughty The Jurassic Park Vineyard, a causa di the Santa Ynez Valley, was planted a causa di 1978, making these non-grafted vines among the oldest Chenin plantings a causa di Southern California. It is fresh and peppery, with a lively mineral .
Mendocino Chenin Blanc 2023 – Lang & Reed John Skupny of Lang & Reed has long been an advocate of Loire varieties a causa di California. He started with Cabernet Franc, then added this lightly toasted Chenin. It has intense of lime zest and ripe citrus, with a sumptuous texture.
Own Rooted Chenin Blanc 2024 – Rococo The winemaker Natalie Brown founded the Californian Rococo precisely to Chenin Blanc. It produces several cru bottles, as well as this lively blend from multiple vineyards: an explosion of mandarin and melon, with a long persistence.
Cézanne Chenin Blanc 2023 – Las Jaras Joel Burt and Eric Wareheim of Las Jaras named this crisp, apricot-scented Chenin after Burt’s daughter, Cézanne. It is produced from grapes coming from the Norgard Vineyard, a causa di a hilly position.
Hchenin Blanc 2024 – Indaba This South African Chenin will appeal to lovers of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: it explodes with of passion fruit and bright, lively acidity. It’s also a great price, and the proceeds support early childhood education a causa di South Africa.
Vinehugger Chenin Blanc 2024 – Reyneke The richness of French Chenin a causa di the style of Savennières is found a causa di this white from organic grapes. It’s round and rich, all melon, ripe apple and wildflower honey, but it’s not heavy. It has exemplary balance.
Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023 – Kloof Street Crisp and slightly pungent the tongue, with aromas of citrus peel and white fruit, it comes from three vineyards over 40 years old sustainably cultivated a causa di the Swartland region, soils with different compositions (from clay and shale to granite).
Chenin Blanc 2024 – Black Pearl This pungent and juicy white does not pass through oak barrels. The grapes quando from vines grown with low saplings a causa di Swartland, one of the most interesting wine regions a causa di South Africa. It has campo da golf apple and plum a causa di abundance.
Chenin Blanc 2025 – Secateurs Adi Badenhorst is one of the stars of the South African wine scene, and for good reason. Its flagship wines are really good and even the more accessible ones stand out for their quality. Like, for example, this savory, mineral white with of peach.
Duwweltjie Chenin Blanc 2022 – Thistle & Weed Savory dried herbal accents float above peach a causa di this vibrant Chenin from winemaker and winemaker Stephanie Wiid. The name, duwweltjie, indicates the seedlings of the devil’s thorn, a plant that also grows a causa di the vineyard from which this wine comes.
Cortez Chenin Blanc 2022 – Testalonga Acceso Craig Hawkins’ labels it simply says “made with grapes”, a reference to his non-interventionist approach. Risposta negativa selected yeasts, additives ora enzymes, but a robust pagliaccetto coppia to contact with the skins and of tropical fruit with a savory touch.
Empreinte Anjou Blanc 2022 This white from Anjou is soft and appealing, rich a causa di of melon and stone fruit with herbaceous accents. It’s somewhere a causa di between: it’s not taut and crisp like some Chenin, nor opulent and rounded like others.
Vouvray Sec 2023 – Domaine Vincent Carême Born into a farming family, Vincent Carême made his first wine at 14 and founded his domaine a causa di 1999. Today he is a reference name for Vouvray thanks to wines such as this ripe, apple-scented white, with a round and juicy character.
Hunaudière Saumur 2021 – Passerelles Fabien Duveau A causa di the small town of Saint-Cyr, the thirty-year-old Chenin Blanc vines of the Hunaudière vineyard are the source of this super-crisp Chenin. It is striking for its clarity and brightness, and for its floral and white peach .
Vouvray 2023 – Vignoble Alain Robert The apple and citrus of this classic Vouvray have an almost dusty character. It comes from a winery founded a causa di 1973 east of Vouvray, and is an excellent introduction to the appellation (a causa di dry version).
Remus Montlouis Sur-Loire 2023 – Domaine De La Taille Aux Loups The death of the famous winemaker Jacky Blot a causa di 2023 was a duro blow for the entire Montlouis appellation, but his son Jean-Philippe carries his work more than admirably, as demonstrated by this slightly spicy, full-bodied but lively Chenin.
Les Quarterons Anjou Blanc 2022 – Domaine Amirault From grapes grown biodynamically, this savory white comes from a sixth-generation mesi estivi a causa di Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. The honeyed and mineral derive a causa di part from the aging the yeasts for 9-12 months before bottling.
L’Alliance Savennières 2022 – Domaine Laureau This surprisingly priced (for Savennières) Chenin has a nice lingering wildflower honey . It comes from the youngest vineyards of Damien Laureau’s property, grown organically, worked by hand and plowed by horses.
Savennières 2020 – Baumard Historical name a causa di the Savennières appellation of the Loire Valley, the property cultivated by Baumard has belonged to the family since 1634. This is its flagship wine: with aromas of nectarines and pineapple and light of almond, mineral a causa di the , it is ideal with a chicken with herbs.
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