Chenin Blanc White Wines

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm going to tell you a little bit about a wine called Chenin Blanc. Now you might not have ever heard of Chenin Blanc before. It's not that well-known. But it's a fabulous light, fruity, somewhat floral, a little bit nutty white wine that's very refreshing and goes well with a nice variety of foods. My favorite way to drink Chenin Blanc is just with some appetizers. Now one of the reasons you might not have ever heard of Chenin Blanc is because what most people consider to be the finest Chenin Blanc's in the world are grown in France. And they're grown in a region called the Loire Valley. And in this region of the Loire Valley, wines are not known by their grape name. They're known by their place name. So if you've ever had a Vouvray, you've had a wonderful Chenin Blanc. However, you didn't know it. If you want to try a Chenin Blanc from the rest of the world, California makes some great varieties, as does Texas. And some of the best Shannon Blanc's in the world also come from South Africa, which is a very interesting New World wine-production area. However, you may or may not find the word "Chenin Blanc" on a wine label from South Africa. You may have to look for the word steen. S-t-e-e-n. So look for a Chenin Blanc or a Steen from South Africa, and you'll get a very fine wine. Look for a Vouvray from France, or a Chenin Blanc from somewhere else, and you're getting a nice, easy-drinking, delicate, fruity wine that'll go with lots of foods, and maybe just on a nice warm summer afternoon."