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Grape variety : Chenin

Anjou

Anjou

Château de Bellevue Loire
€9.00
  • HVE
BLASON ROUGE

BLASON ROUGE

Sieur d Arques Languedoc Roussillon
€13.30
Clos Rouge

Clos Rouge

Château du Petit Thouars Loire
€16.80
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Chenin Blanc: origins and characteristics of this grape variety

The fifth most planted white grape in France and widely grown around the world, notably in South Africa, Chenin Blanc is a variety absolutely worth discovering. Indeed, while this emblematic white grape of the Loire Valley still remains little known next to Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin is a many-sided grape that expresses itself very differently from one estate to another. Follow our guide and discover everything you need to know about Chenin through its history, its aromatic traits and its flagship appellations. In this article you’ll also find all our tips for the best food-and-wine pairings with dry, off-dry, sweet and sparkling wines made from Chenin.

Chenin at a glance

  • Color: white grape
  • Origin: Anjou / Loire Valley (descended from Savagnin); also called Pineau de la Loire
  • Regions: Loire Valley (Savennières, Saumur, Coteaux du Layon, Vouvray, Anjou); Limoux (Blanquette and Crémant de Limoux)
  • Profile: citrus, white fruit (apple, quince), white flowers, honey; from dry to sweet
  • Serving temperature: 8 to 10 °C
  • Cellaring: the great Chenins, dry and sweet alike, keep for a long time

Description and origins of this grape variety

Chenin is a white grape variety recognizable by its small berries, descended from the Savagnin grape. While its origin remains unclear, some authors place its appearance as early as the 6th century in Anjou, though we still lack reliable sources. Writings dating from the 16th century, under the reign of Francis I, do attest to the presence of Chenin in the Loire Valley under various names (Chenin or Pineau de la Loire, in particular). Although Chenin is an essential white grape of the Loire vineyards, it has spread widely through the New World, notably in South Africa, thanks to the French Huguenots who emigrated to Holland and then to South Africa. Today the area planted with Chenin in South Africa is twice that of France!

The main terroirs where it is grown in France

In France, Chenin is one of the flagship grapes of the Loire Valley, particularly in the appellations of Anjou, Touraine and the Coteaux du Loir. Among its most renowned appellations are AOC Savennières, AOC Saumur Blanc, AOC Coteaux du Layon, AOC Chinon Blanc and AOC Vouvray. As a highly versatile grape, Chenin can give rise to dry white wine as well as off-dry, sweet or even sparkling wine in AOC Crémant de Loire. Beyond the Loire, its native region, Chenin is also found in small proportions in the vineyards of the South-West and the Languedoc, in particular in the AOC Limoux, AOC Blanquette de Limoux and AOC Crémant de Limoux appellations.

Its aromatic traits

Most often vinified as a single varietal in the white wines of the Loire Valley, whether dry, sweet or sparkling, Chenin also plays a smaller role in blends in the Languedoc and the South-West, where it rounds out Mauzac and Chardonnay in the AOC Limoux appellation, for example. We can distinguish three types of wine made from Chenin:

Chenin as a dry white wine

Appearance: pale yellow with green highlights

Nose: aromas of citrus, white fruit (apple, quince), white flowers and honey.

Palate: fresh and mineral, with lovely liveliness.

Chenin as a sweet white wine

Appearance: golden color

Nose: notes of candied citrus peel, apricot, pineapple, honey and sweet spices.

Palate: round and rich, with a good sugar/acidity balance.

Chenin as a sparkling wine (crémant)

Appearance: straw-yellow with fine bubbles

Nose: aromatic, with dried fruit, citrus, flowers and apple

Palate: round, light and fruity.

The best food-and-wine pairings with Chenin

Discover our tips for the best food-and-wine pairings with a bottle of dry white, sweet white or crémant made from Chenin, across the finest appellations of France:

  • To enjoy with foie gras or a blue cheese, turn to a bottle of sweet white wine made from 100% Chenin from an estate in AOC Coteaux du Layon. Its perfect balance between acidity and sweetness works wonders in sweet-and-savory pairings. A cuvée with aromas of apricot jam, honey and candied fruit that has nothing to envy prestigious appellations such as Sauternes.
  • If you want to pair a blanquette de veau or a seafood cassolette, there’s nothing like a bottle of dry white wine from an estate in AOC Anjou Blanc or AOC Saumur Blanc. These rich, intense cuvées, with complex notes of yellow fruit (quince, apple, apricot), linden blossom and citrus, make ideal partners for dishes based on shellfish or white meat.
  • For a pairing with a seafood platter, dare to try a dry sparkling white from an estate in AOC Vouvray or AOC Crémant de Loire made from Chenin. Its delicate notes of white flowers, its mineral finish and its fine bubbles will bring sparkle to your meal from aperitif to dessert.

Has this guide made you want to taste a bottle of white wine made from Chenin? At Avenue des Vins, we offer a wide selection of white, red and rosé wines, as well as champagne, shipped directly from the estate or château of your choice. In our online store, every estate is selected with the greatest care, and our bottles are available for delivery straight to your door. Whether you choose a bottle of dry or off-dry white, or a crémant from the Loire Valley made from Chenin, or from any other region of France, discover our wines at the best price with delivery to your home!

From dry to sweet, the versatility of Chenin

Few white grapes cover such a range. On the very same hillside, Chenin can give a dry, taut wine just as readily as a generous off-dry or sweet one, without ever losing its common thread: a remarkable acidity. It is this acidity that holds everything together. In a dry wine, it brings the liveliness and the freshness that calls for the next sip. In a sweet wine, it balances the sugar and keeps it from any heaviness, so that a great sweet Chenin always keeps its momentum. This acidity also explains its aptitude for cellaring: when well born, a Chenin often improves over many years in the cellar, both the dry wines of fine origin and the sweet ones. To grasp this breadth, taste several styles of the Loire Valley side by side, from a finely chiseled dry Savennières to the sweetest cuvées.

Chenin in sparkling wine and around the world

Chenin is not limited to still wines. Its natural freshness makes it an ideal base for bubbles: in Crémant de Loire, it yields fine, lively sparkling wines, at ease as an aperitif or at the table. It is also found in sparkling form in several Loire appellations, where its liveliness carries the mousse without ever weighing it down. The grape has, moreover, conquered the southern hemisphere. In South Africa, where it is very widely planted, it is known as Steen: there it produces dry whites as well as richer cuvées, proof that this Loire grape adapts to very different climates.

How to serve and store a Chenin wine

A Chenin is all the more enjoyable when it is served at the right temperature. Sparkling wines and dry whites are served chilled, around 8 to 10 °C, to highlight their liveliness. Off-dry and sweet wines are enjoyed chilled as well, but without excessive cold, in order to preserve the balance between sugar and acidity. Too icy, and the wine closes up its aromas.

When it comes to storage, the grape’s acidity works in your favor. Cuvées of fine origin will happily keep for several years, away from light and temperature swings, with the bottle lying down. The great sweet wines are, moreover, among the white wines best suited to aging and gain in complexity over time.

Frequently asked questions about Chenin

Are Chenin and Pineau de la Loire the same grape?

Yes, they are one and the same grape. Pineau de la Loire is one of the traditional names for Chenin in its home region, and you’ll come across both terms for this Loire white grape.

Does Chenin make dry or sweet wines?

Chenin makes both, and that is its whole signature. It comes in dry, off-dry and sweet versions, and even sparkling ones. Its natural acidity lets it carry both the freshness of a dry wine and the richness of a sweet one.

What is Chenin called in South Africa?

In South Africa, Chenin is known as Steen. It is very widely planted there and produces whites in every style, from dry to the richest.

How long can you keep a Chenin wine?

A Chenin’s keeping potential depends on its style, but the grape’s acidity favors cellaring. A dry wine of fine origin will often keep for several years, while the great sweet wines can age far longer still. Store the bottle lying down, away from light and heat.