Although originally from the Loire Valley in France, Chenin Blanc is known as the grape of South Africa. Chenin Blanc first arrived in the Western Cape in 1655 and the grape name was recorded as “Steen.” Historians later found that perhaps the name “Steen” was a Dutch mistranslation; however, the name Steen remained in the culture and is now the common name for the varietal.
Over 50% of the world’s Chenin Blanc is grown in South Africa today. It can be made into still dry wine, off-dry wine, dessert wine, sparkling wine, and even the wine base for Brandy. The versatility of this grape isn’t just found in winemaking, it can also pair with a wide variety of foods including dishes of fish, chicken, fruit desserts, and creamy cheeses.
Chenin Blanc typically has a higher acid, boasting flavors of tart pear, ginger, and passion fruit. It is a refined wine and very approachable for all wine lovers. Chenin Blanc is also known to have a slight mineralic finish, not surprising as the word “steen” literally means “stone” in Afrikaans.
Not only is our Chenin a palate pleaser, it also is near to our winemaker’s heart. Dane started his winemaking career in South Africa and worked for renown wineries including Uva Mira, Durbanville Hills, and Welbedacht – all which produce this wonderful varietal.
If you haven’t tried our 2021 Steen at Untamed, we highly recommend giving it a taste. For those that love it as much as we do, we have some Chenin Blanc surprises coming your way later this year including our South African Steen and a sparkling Chenin Blanc. Stay tuned…
Order our 2021 Steen from Monterey AVA here: https://www.untamedwines.com/product/2021-steen
