Chenin Blanc
A high-acid Loire Valley white that can be bone-dry, sparkling or lusciously sweet. It's making a comeback in California's Clarksburg and Sierra Foothills and in Texas.
Chenin Blanc is one of the most versatile white grapes in the world. Its home is France's Loire Valley, where it makes everything from bone-dry Savennières to sparkling Vouvray to sweet, long-lived dessert wines. In South Africa it's the most planted grape and is sometimes called Steen.
What It Tastes Like
Chenin has naturally high acidity and flavors of quince, green apple, pear, honey and chamomile. Dry versions are crisp and textured. Off-dry versions balance sweetness with that acid. Aged or botrytis-affected Chenin develops honey, beeswax and lanolin notes.
Where It Grows
California once had huge Chenin Blanc plantings for inexpensive white blends. Today small producers are reviving old vines in Clarksburg, Lodi, the Sierra Foothills, Mendocino and Santa Barbara County. Washington's Columbia Valley grows good Chenin, and Texas wineries in the High Plains have adopted it as a heat-tolerant white.
What to Look For
- Old-vine dry Chenin from California.
- Off-dry Chenin, a superb partner for spicy food.
- Sparkling Chenin, in the style of Vouvray.
Where to Find Chenin Blanc
Wine regions on American Winery Guide where Chenin Blanc is grown or poured: