An Ode to Chenin Blanc
(and the Loire Valley)
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Perhaps it makes sense to ignore the obvious choice? The favorite right in front of you? Such has been my written relationship with Chenin Blanc, native grape of Loire Valley in France and inarguably my most loved white grape/wine. Yet, despite this love (or perhaps because of it (?) I have yet to write a true homage to Chenin (yes, we are on a first name basis!). Sure, I have mentioned it ad nauseum in pairing suggestions and anecdotally (as in, I had another magical bottle of Chenin this past weekend!). But in all seven years of my blog and newsletter writing (for the wine shop I managed) I still never wrote this ode. Perhaps, the topic just felt too weighty – like describing your best friend! Well here’s my first foray (surely not the last) inspired by the lovely bottle pictured above of Loire Chenin from Paul Breton (more on this bottle later).
As mentioned, Chenin comes from the Loire Valley in France. The Loire River is France’s longest river and originates quite far south in France in the Ardeche Mountains specifically at the base of Mont Gerbier de Jonc. From here it flows north through Nevers to Orleans and then takes a sharp left turn towards the Atlantic, and this is where we get into Chenin territory.
Personally, I do have a bit of a history with the Loire region myself and perhaps that sparked the small flame that became my love for Chenin? I was lucky enough to take a high school trip to France (many years) ago with our amazing French teacher who trotted us through Paris, Normandy, and then a bit of the Loire. I mostly remember the iconic chateaus around Tours made from the very limestone that plays a part in making Chenin delicious. No, I don’t remember any secret sips of Chenin on this trip, but as fate would have it, I signed up for a French study abroad in college that happened to be based in Tours, which happens to be one of the key cities around which Chenin flourishes. On this trip we mostly threw back small tumblers of acrid red wine that our host family set out with dinner, but I do remember bringing back a bottle of sparkling wine (surely Chenin) and drinking it with my hometown best friends late one night (I think it was slightly sweet and delicious?).
But back to the Loire River…being such a long river it’s easy to understand that there are quite varied regions alongside it. From the inland regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume (where you find mineral driven Sauvignon Blanc) to the Chenin focused regions of Vouvray and Montlouis around Tours as you head towards the Atlantic to even more Chenin but alongside Cabernet Franc as you head further west through Anjou and Saumur and then finally you find the stony whites of Muscadet along the Atlantic. (And this is just a VERY quick synopsis – there will be another newsletter on the greater region – but for now back to Chenin).
The Chenin Blanc grape is a descendent of the much lesser known Savagnin grape (mostly seen in another favorite French region, the Jura). Its siblings (or cousins) are another Jura grape, Trousseau, and Sauvignon Blanc. But this is all just DNA analysis and not the romantic, sentimental look at the grape that I want to take. To me Chenin drinks a bit like Chardonnay (from Burgundy) or a really terrific Albarino. But the reality is there are so many styles of Chenin that it can be hard to give a general description. Still, I will try…most Chenin to me has a ripe peach element (like the most perfect peach you have ever had in your life!) alongside the smell of fresh hay (or Chamomile tea if you did not grow up in the country!), a bit of Parmesan cheese, and then an intense minerality (think mountain stream on the finish).
Chenin is known for its high acidity, which makes it an A+ pairing partner with all sorts of dishes, and this same acidity makes it work well in warmer growing conditions (like South Africa, where they have their own Chenin story). While I have had some outstanding Chenins from South Africa and even California and Oregon, I have to say I most love it from the Loire. And even there in its homeland it can wear many different hats. In the Anjou region it has a long history of being picked late and made into sweet wines that can often rival Bordeaux’s Sauternes (arguably the most famed sweet/late harvest wine in the world). These days there is a renaissance of dry Chenin from the Anjou region that just totally gladdens my heart (more on this in a later newsletter).
But the Chenin I am so inspired to write about today comes from Vouvray. This famed region lies just east of the city of Tours and on the northern bank of the Loire river. (Just across the river you will find the region of Montlouis that is finally receiving its own recognition for great Chenin.) Vouvray has been recognized as basically ground zero for Chenin for quite some time (since the 9th century according to one source)!
And to quote the wine writing queen herself: “Vouvray is Chenin Blanc, and to a certain extent, Chenin Blanc is Vouvray.” –Jancis Robinson, The Oxford Companion to Wine
Like in Anjou, there is a long history of sweet, late harvest wines here but also powerful dry white wines. One of the most historic producers in Vouvray, Domaine Huet, was founded in 1928 and has always produced a range of styles from dry to semi-sweet to sweet to sparkling (yes there is sparkling Chenin – praise be!).
But enough already, let’s get back to the wine that was in my glass a week ago and inspired this rather long winded ode to Chenin: “Pierres Rousses” Vouvray from the Breton family. Ironically the Breton family is perhaps most known for their delicious red wines from their home village of Bourgueil. Catherine and Pierre have been longtime leaders in this area and major proponents of organic and biodynamic farming. However, Catherine hails from Vouvray and has always made a bit of still and sparkling Vouvray as her own pet projects. Evidently, she passed the Chenin gene onto her son Paul. While his sister France now manages their Bourgueil properties, Paul is reportedly focused entirely on white wines (according to their importer’s website) and hence this bottling from a 55-year-old site of biodynamically farmed Chenin.
Upon first opening, I thought to myself – ah yes, exactly what I hoped for… While I love the more austere Chenins that have begun stealing the show in Anjou, I still appreciate a rich, textural Chenin, and that’s exactly what the Pierre Rousses delivers! Notes I jotted down: lemongrass, peach, apricot, rich, lovely…to this I would certainly add that fresh hay characteristic I love and of course minerality.
I especially appreciate the richness of the Pierre Rousses as I had a bee in my bonnet to make this Moroccan inspired braised chicken that’s loaded with spices (turmeric, ginger, coriander) and has the totally addictive salty/sweet thing going on as it’s finished with golden raisins and green olives. Honestly, many wines would have been overpowered by the myriad of flavors in this dish, but not the Pierre Rousses. Each bite kept me wanting another sip of wine, and each sip of wine kept me wanting another bite of the dish. Now, that’s the beauty of food and wine and the magic of a sum being even greater than the two parts.
I will leave you with that and hopefully craving a bottle of great Chenin for yourself. There are many to be had. (If you live in the Charleston area I snagged this one at Graft for $39 and looks like they still have it, according to their online shop!)
P.S. OMG it looks like the Bretons offer a guest house on their property – sign me up!
🫶🏼