S.W AND RICH HERMANSEN
Staff Writers
wine@lbknews.com
White wine drinkers in American bars, restaurants, and wine shops ask for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio/Gris, or Riesling. Rarely does someone ask for a Chenin Blanc.
The Chenin Blanc grape has a long history in the wine industry. It offers winemakers a versatile grape for making crisp young wines, structured off-dry and sweet wines that age well, and prized dry wines that due to white grape skin contact mellow in barrel or bottle for years. So why do Chenin Blanc wines remain obscure in today’s wine markets?
The Chenin Blanc grape originated circa 845 in the Loire wine region of France. There the wines made from the grape, as usual in France, took on names given to them by wineries specializing in styles of wines. The Vouvray name comes from the medieval city of Vouvray. The climate in this region varies widely from year to year. Winemakers adapt the grapes that they have for a vintage to whatever style works best: some years dry wines and some off-dry according to the level of sugar in the grape. Vouvray wines vary from bone dry to sweet, although tastes tend to be fruity and clean as a rule. The 2023 LOT 208 — Reserve
Vouvray ($22) represents the entry-level artisanal Vouvray of the fresh and dry style. It will age well to five years following the vintage.
The more compact and prestigious Savennières appellation in the Anjou wine region now produces dry wines that have the potential to age well for a decade or more. The aged Savennières have a cult following that relishes the hints of caramel and dried fruits similar to those in a fine Amontillado sherry or a Madeira. The complex and distinctive 2021 Joly Savennières Coulee de Serrant Les Vieux Clos ($70) sets mainstream standard for Chenin Blanc.
South Africa, producer of the largest volume of Chenin Blanc, imported cuttings of Chenin Blanc vines beginning in 1655. In South Africa, the grape has had the name “Steen”. Not until DNA analysis identified the grapevine as Chenin Blanc in 1965 did it appear in international markets by its genetic name of Chenin Blanc. We have recommended the crisp and clean South African Chenin Blanc under the Man label as a bargain. We have neglected to commend South African Chenin Blanc in the same style as the more elegant Loire Vouvray and Savennières. The 2019 Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc Reserve Old Vine ($22) from the Stellenbosch region has the characteristic baked apple, melon, and caramel tastes of an aged Savennières. It is more likely than other South African wines to appear on wine lists and in shops in the US.
South Africa tends to blend its plentiful Chenin Blanc with other wines than does the Loire region of France. Blends of Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Grenache Blanc help produce more complex and aromatic wines.
In California, wine grape growers replaced many older Chenin Blanc vines with Chardonnay, often inferior, grapevines. We have recommended the Pine Ridge blend of Chenin Blanc and Viognier. Chenin Blanc varietal wines are only recently beginning to emerge. The 2023 Matanzas Creek Chenin Blanc ($20) from California has caught the eyes of wine reviewers. We expect to see Chenin Blanc in America to regain some of its popularity both in white wine blends and as varietals.
Each of the Savennières, Vouvray, and fresh crisp styles of Chenin Blanc deserves a try. Ask your bartender, server, or shopkeeper for a taste.
S. W. Hermansen has used his expertise in econometrics, data science and epidemiology to help develop research databases for the Pentagon, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Agriculture, and Health Resources and Services. He has visited premier vineyards and taste wines from major appellations in California, Oregon, New York State, and internationally from Tuscany and the Piedmont in Italy, the Ribera del Duero in Spain, the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale in Australia, and the Otego Valley in New Zealand. Currently he splits time between residences in Chevy Chase, Maryland and St. Armand’s Circle in Florida.
Rich Hermansen selected has first wine list for a restaurant shortly after graduating from college with a degree in Mathematics. He has extensive service and management experience in the food and wine industry. Family and friends rate him as their favorite chef, bartender, and wine steward. He lives in Severna Park, Maryland.
