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Hoodwinked By Chenin
16 January 2012  by Harry Haddon, 2oceansvibe.com
What's the deal with South African Chenin? It has been a variety that I have espoused with vim and vigour since I became a wine consumer of serious proportions.
I thought it offered excellent value for money, and offered a range of styles – “I’ll find one for you” I have cried to unbelievers. But had I been fooled by overt sweetness? Was my praise of this variety ill-founded? Had I been hood-winked by easy drinking cheap wines? Did my wallet guide my palate?

These thoughts have plagued me recently. Especially since, when I cast my eye down the list of Chenins in the new blonde and blue eyed Platter Guide, I noticed there is a dearth of red-coloured Chenins (red meaning four stars or more). Wooded Chardonnays trounce them almost 2-1; a similar result with Sauvignon Blanc. I know that Platter is no Word of Bacchus on SA wine quality, but it is not a word of lie either.

I have heard so many people sing Chenin’s praises that this does stir a little worry in my gut. I thought Chenin was “South Africa’s rising star”, but could it be instead that we are still producing, as Oz Clarke in Grapes & Wines* believes, “a sea of forgettable dross”?

Chenin’s home is in the Loire Valley.

It’s a pretty old variety, and has been hanging around in these parts for more than a thousand years. In France it makes wines from steely and dry, to a hug warming-like sweetness. They can be incredibly long lived. I’ve had sweet Loire Chenins from the 70’s that I thought were only 10 years old, and have read of others drinking fabulously that are pushing past 100.

The point is, the great Chenins of the world come from the Loire.

Please click here to continue reading Harry's article on www.2oceansvibe.com.
 
This article has been read 1197 times.

Platter is passe Cindy Chenin - 16 January 2012
Harry, old fruit, remember the Platter poltroons award their stars while gazing fondly at the label. It's not a serious measure of anything these days.
Chenin Conrad Louw - 16 January 2012
Points taken on Chenin - but just remeber - many of the Loire's Chenins are also high in RS.
And if you want to look only at your wallet when tasting SA Chenins, please revisit your motives of evaluation. There are very very good NW style Chenins in SA, wooded and unwooded.
The point is, great Chenins of the world come from South Africa Francois Malan - 23 January 2012
Harry, I have to correct you and say SA Chenin beats the Loire hands down! They also make great wines, but the majority of great Chenins do come from SA. This was confirmed, again, last year at the Loire vs SA Challenge, judged by Germans. We do produce Cab that can compete with Bordeaux, we do produce Sauvignon Blanc that can compete with New Zealand, we do produce Shiraz that can compete with Australia etc. but we also produce Chenin that no one can compete with! P.S. To quote Neil Pendock: "Some might argue that the recent Platter Guide says more about the quality of the judges than the quality of the wines!" With regards to Chenin, I am part of the 'some'
Where is the happy medium? Dieter - 23 January 2012
My rule of thumb is to avoid SA chenin with anything more than 13,5% abv for a drink that resembles something refreshing. It really is a pity as there was a brief period in its evolution from the uninspired state the variety was in in the past to the cloying, overripe syrups filling the shelves.


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