Chenin Blanc White Wine Variety

Chenin blanc is a highly revered white variety from the central regions of the Loire Valley where it is used to make sweet, semi-sweet and dry white wines and also sparkling wine.

Unfortunately it is not so well loved elsewhere.

Where Chenin Blanc grows in Australia

Chenin in France

The famous Loire Valley wines of Vouvray are made from Chenin blanc. The variety is also used for making wines under the appellations of Montlois, Savennieres and Saumur, to name just a few.

It is also grown in the Languedoc region where it is a component of the sparkling Cremant de Limoux.

See the digital wine map of France to locate these regions.

...and elsewhere

This variety is very popular in South Africa where its ability to yield well and hold its acidity in warm climates is seen as an asset.  Quality is not always so good but many winemakers who realise the value of it are intent on making fine wines.

It is grown in California and other parts of the USA and to a limited extent in South America.

Chenin was once very popular for making cheap bland wine in New Zealand but is now in rapid decline.

Quote from Jancis Robinson

Chenin In Australia

Most Australian plantings are in Western Australia, but Chenin is present in most Australian regions. It is probable that the WA propensity for using the variety is a result of importation of vines from South Africa in the 19th Century.

Around Perth and the Swan Valley the variety has historically played a role similar to that it plays in South Africa, producing wines of no great character. The variety is reasonably popular in Margaret River where growers and winemakers have more of an eye for quality.

In the past Chenin was a major component of blended wines under the general heading of "Classic Dry White" which is popular in Western Australia. Houghtons White Burgundy was the most famous of these.  Nowadays Chenin appears much less frequently in these blends.

Elsewhere in Australia the variety plays a minor role in a number of regions, but it is fair to say the Australia has yet to produce a great Chenin blanc. The possible exception being a one-off late harvest wine produced by St Leonards in the late 1970s. I recently tried a dry Chenin from the same maker and found it excellent. 

Australian Producers

• Abbey Vale Margaret River
• All Saints Estate Rutherglen
• Ampersand Pemberton
• Anderson Winery Rutherglen
• Aphelion McLaren Vale
• Aravina Margaret River
• Bella Ridge Estate Swan District
• Berg Herring McLaren Vale
• Blind Corner Margaret River
• Blood Moon Heathcote
• Brash Higgins McLaren Vale
• Bremerton Langhorne Creek
• Brini Estate McLaren Vale
• Broken River Vineyards Goulburn Valley
• Brookside Perth Hills
• Brookwood Estate Margaret River
• Campbells Wines Rutherglen
• Cape Grace Wines Margaret River
• Capel Vale Geographe
• Carldenn Homestead Wines Perth Hills
• Casley Mount Hutton Granite Belt
• Castagna Vineyard Beechworth
• Chapman Valley Wines Central Western Australian Zone
• Chidlows Well Central Western Australian Zone
• Churchview Estate Margaret River
• Clairault Streicker Margaret River
• Cofield Wines Rutherglen
• Coriole McLaren Vale
• Corymbia Swan Valley
• Coughlan Estate Geographe
• Darling Estate King Valley
• Dormilona Margaret River
• Dowie Doole McLaren Vale
• Faber Vineyard Swan Valley
• Fermoy Estate Margaret River
• Matilda's Estate Denmark
• Flametree Margaret River
• Flying Fish Cove Margaret River
• Garbin Estate Swan Valley
• Gestalt Wines Adelaide Hills
• Goon Tycoons Margaret River
• Green Valley Margaret River
• Gwynnyth Vineyards Pyrenees
• Happs Margaret River
• Harris Organic Wines Swan Valley
• Heafod Glen Winery Swan Valley
• Henley Park Winery Swan Valley
• Hotham Ridge Winery Peel
• Intrepidus Canberra
• Jane Brook Estate Swan Valley
• Jarrah Ridge Winery Perth Hills
• John Gehrig Wines King Valley
• John Kosovich Wines Swan Valley
• Kalleske Wines Barossa Valley
• Kevin Sobels Wines Hunter Valley
• Kneedeep Margaret River
• Kyotmunga Estate Perth Hills
• L’Enologa Murray Darling
• Lamonts Swan Valley
• Lancaster Wines Swan Valley
• Lenton Brae Margaret River
• Mandoon Swan Valley
• Marri Wood Park Margaret River
• MMAD McLaren Vale
• Moss Brothers Margaret River
• Murray Estate Big Rivers Zone
• Nikola Estate Swan Valley
• Nocton Southern Tasmania
• Oakover Estate Swan Valley
• Olive Farm Swan District
• Pandemonium Estate Swan Valley
• Paul Conti Wines Greater Perth Zone
• Peel Estate Peel
• Peel Ridge Peel
• Peter Lehmann Barossa Valley
• Pikes Clare Valley
• Pinelli Swan Valley
• Pirramimma McLaren Vale
• Plan B Frankland River
• Redgate Margaret River
• Riverbank Estate Swan Valley
• Romavilla Queensland Zone
• Rusden Wines Barossa Valley
• Scarpantoni Estate McLaren Vale
• Schwarz Wine Company Barossa Valley
• Settlers Ridge Margaret River
• Sevenhill Wines Clare Valley
• Sherrah McLaren Vale
• Sittella Swan Valley
• South by South West Margaret River
• Spider Bill Wines Adelaide Hills
• St Leonards Rutherglen
• Stakehill Estate Peel
• Swings and Roundabouts Margaret River
• Talijancich Swan Valley
• Tassell Park Wines Margaret River
• Temple Bruer Langhorne Creek
• Torrent Swan Valley
• Trait Wines Margaret River
• Tregarthen Barossa Valley
• tripe.Escariot Margaret River
• Tumblong Hills Gundagai
• Upper Reach Vineyard Swan Valley
• Vino Volta Swan Valley
• Willoughby Park Denmark
• Willow Bridge Estate Geographe
• Windows Estate Margaret River
• Windy Creeek Estate Peel
• Windy Creek Estate Swan Valley
• Wines of Merritt Margaret River
• Woody Nook Margaret River
• Xanadu Margaret River

See the full list of varieties described on this site

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