The Mystery of Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is the distinguished white winegrape of France’s Loire Valley, where it renders a complete spectrum of wines from racy, bone-dry Savennieres to warm, round Vouvray, sparkling Vouvray, and rich, sweet Quart de Chaume that rivals the great Sauternes of Bordeaux.

The mystery of Chenin Blanc is why it doesn’t do very well anywhere else in the world outside of the Loire Valley. Around 30% of South African vineyards are planted to Chenin Blanc but very little of it is considered worthy of export. It was a mainstay varietal wine in California during the 1960s and constituted a flagship white for wineries such as Wente and Charles Krug.

Then came Chardonnay. Chardonnay was almost unknown by the general American wine-drinking public in the 1960s, even though it was widely offered. But like a long-distance runner, it gradually surpassed Chenin Blanc and by the 1980s Chardonnay was the white wine of choice for most Americans. Chenin Blanc all but disappeared.

While Chardonnay was enjoying its day in the sun, a handful of California wineries worked to craft a Chenin Blanc that was viable in today’s competitive market. And they succeeded, thanks to the identification of a few tiny microclimates where Chenin Blanc could thrive. And they kept yields (as high as 10 tons per acre previously) down to 1-3 tons, commensurate with the finest wines.

Three California locations in particular have proven excellent for Chenin Blanc:

Clarksburg. This tiny appellation southwest of Sacramento receives just the right amount of marine influence from San Francisco Bay to produce splendid Chenin Blanc fruit. The major player here is Ehrhardt and their splendid Chenin Blanc is offered at $16.

Napa Valley. No surprise here. Napa Valley seems to provide heavenly terroir for almost every winegrape variety. The Napa Valley Chenin Blanc specialist here is Casa Nuestra, whose outstanding Chenin Blanc lists for $24.

Santa Barbara County: Los Alamos. Here Lucas and Lewellyn offer a terrific Chenin Blanc for $20.

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