Chenin Blanc - Grape Variety

A chameleon of a grape from the Loire Valley in northern France, Chenin Blanc can produce wine in styles from light, dry and fairly neutral, to super-concentrated, fully sweet monsters. Its naturally high acidity means that it is also suitable for the manufacture of sparkling wine. DNA analysis of Chenin Blanc shows it is related to Sauvignon Blanc (sharing both parents with that variety) and Colombard (of which it is a parent). The most famous examples of Chenin Blanc include Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume, Vouvray, Montlouis, Côteaux du Layon, and Savennières. In South Africa, it is known as Steen.