Chenin Blanc Wines from South Africa
Outside the Loire Valley in France where the grape for Chenin Blanc wines is grown, you will find it grown in most of the newer wine growing regions in the world, such as South Africa and Australia. In South Africa this is commonly know as Steen wines.
It is believed that this grape is one of the first that was grown in South Africa by Jan Van Riebeeck for the sole purpose of harvesting wine; as far back as 1655 (which older South African child does not remember those history dates?) It is also believed that the Huguenots that left France could have brought this to South Africa.
Chenin Blanc is pretty mild on the palate, is grown in cooler vineyards; the juice is sweet but contains high acidity and is a full-bodied fruity wine.
It is commonly known that modern Chenin Blanc grapes, especially in France where the weather is unpredictable, that is slightly green and on the less-than-ripe side, is made into popular sparkling wines such as Crémant de Loire.
It's also a fact that there is a group of visionary South African wine producers who are, not only spreading the word really fast, but are continually providing hard evidence by producing Chenin Blanc wines of increasingly remarkable quality.
Did you know that there is an organization that is dedicated in ensuring that South African Chenin Blanc is put on a pedestal alongside other outstanding white wines of the world, and is known as “The Chenin Blanc Association”?
This exceptional variety of white wine is being given treatment akin to royalty in both the vineyard and the cellar.
Chenin Blanc wines have a magnificent personality, majestic flavours and imperial versatility.
There is a website dedicated especially to Chenin Blanc lovers and followers offering an introduction to Chenin Blanc and is dedicated to the organization.
If you are keen to find out more about Chenin Blanc wines or would like to join the ranks of being a dedicated fan, contact us for more information.
This wine is the sixth vintage for Saxenberg Guinea Fowl White. The range of Chenin Blanc Wines is thirty one years old which gives the wines both maturity and complexity.
Steeped in interesting history, at the gate of Klein Constantia Estate you will find the shrine of Sheikh Abdurachman Matebe Shah, who was banished to the Cape after being captured by the Dutch in 1661 by the Dutch, where he and his companion, Sheikh Mahmoud were confined to the Constantia Forests.
Imagine a vineyard, typical of the Western Cape with its unique beauty with slopes that rise 200m to almost 400m above sea level, with panoramic views that sweep across Cape Town, Table Mountain and the Hottentots Holland Mountains; there surely cannot be a lovelier site in the whole of the Cape, or even the world!
The Ken Forrester Petit Chenin 2006 Stellenbosch Wine is a translucent wine that is straw in colour and has a refreshing and delicate aroma hinting of honeydew melons and the juice of limes.
This historical wine estate was part of the original Simon van der Stel?s grant of Groot Constantia. This exquisite bit of the Cape was the home of the Lategan family for five generations since the arrival of the Lategan ancestors in South Africa in 1735, but was purchased by David and Marlene McCay in 1988, which has since been restored to its former brilliance.
Choosing Boschendal wines is always an excellent option. Boschendal is renowned for its outstanding quality, and has put Chenin Blanc on the map, transforming this into a top-class wine. When drinking Boschendal Chenin you will be forgiven thinking you are sipping the tears of angels.
