Empowering Cape Grape

A boisterous steak house hardly seemed an ideal stage for the dinner showcase of white chenin blanc. But, first and foremost, 96 Winery Road Restaurant, in Somerset West, South Africa, is a winemakers' hangout, and the members of the South African Chenin Blanc Association had turned out as much to chow down as to present their wines to a couple of Canadian journalists who rarely see these wines back home.

The wines presented included some familiar names, like Ken Forrester, who is in the vanguard of chenin's rise to respectability, and Mulderbosch, which exports its sauvignon to Canada. But Beaumont, Raats, Kanuand Katbakkies were new, and the fact they are specializing in chenin points to the rising fortunes of this grape in the Cape winelands.

Part of South African chenin's appeal is its absurdly low price given its quality, thanks to oversupply and not much market cachet. Yet. Chenin blanc is being grown everywhere in South Africa, but many of the older vines sites seem to be situated in Stellenbosch, Swartland (especially in Paardeberg), Robertson, Darling, Paarl and, increasingly, in coastal Walker Bay. It remains the most widely planted grape in South Africa. Chenin blanc accounted for 32 percent of all plantings, red or white in 1990, when its role historically was to supply basic fruit and acidity when harvested at high yields to bulk blends. That ratio has dwindled to 19 percent, but is still twice as much as chardonnay or sauvignon, leaving thousands of surplus hectares to be grafted to other varieties, or converted to premium chenin production.The latter option is perfect for old-vine vineyards with naturally low yields and resulting flavour concentration.

In its homeland in the chalk soils of France's cool-climate Loire Valley appellations, like Vouvray, Anjou, Coteaux du Layon and Savennières, chenin blanc is capable of dry wines with complex flavours and taut acidity, and luscious dessert wines that can age for decades. It is, in fact, very much like riesling. South Africa, however, is not generally a cool climate, although there are some cooler, high-altitude sites regularly buffeted by strong winds from the confluence of Atlantic and Indian ocean currents. Nor is there a lot of chalk or limestone in South Africa, but there is incredible soil diversity built around granite and shale that imbues Cape chenins with firm structure and complexity.

Using the Loire styles as reference makes it more difficult to understand the South African editions; you will look for delicacy, florals and pear/quince stone fruit flavours and find, instead, that most Cape versions are powerful, stony and redolent of herbs or fynbos (pronounced fane-bose), an aggregate name for the diverse indigenous wild shrubbery (like garrigue in the Rhône).

Then there is the whole new genre of barrel-aged chenins to confuse us. Loire traditionalists would wince at putting delicate chenin in wood - as preposterous as barrel-aging Mosel riesling. But the Cape chenins, especially from low-yielding vines in warmer sites where alcohol levels rise, take to the barrel very well, developing creaminess to absorb the sometimes-raw power and minerality. It also gives caramel or vanilla flavours that go with their slightly more baked fruit flavours, much like baked apple desserts, and the result can be delicious.

One problem with barrel-aged chenin is some producers are not providing clear distinctions of style on the label - perhaps due to the Cape's inexperience in exporting to markets that may have a different frame of reference. Canadian consumers want to know what style is in the bottle, just as we want to know the specific appellation of origin of the grapes.

But, first things first. As Canadian consumers, we must convince our liquor boards and private-store wine buyers that Cape chenin blanc is a genre they should be looking at. Maybe our recession will help these great value wines come into favour. Let them know that, in addition to all of their other qualities, on a night out at the 96 Winery Road Restaurant, the empowered chenin blancs of the Cape stood up well to the steaks and springbok ordered by the winemakers - when they did finally get to chow down.

The Cape's Best Chenin Blancs

The following topped the charts at tastings in South Africa. Many of these are not currently available in the Canadian market - few South African chenin blancs are - but wineries, agents and buyers are reading this with you, and this may help you find them a year or two from now.

93 Ken Forrester 2007 The FMC Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch, South Africa
QC $53
A massive, honeyed, barrel-fermented powerhouse from 40-year-old bush vines. Very ripe, with tobacco, spice, peach, honey, butterscotch and liquorice on the nose. Full-bodied, spicy, creamy and voluptuous, with some satiny texture and finesse. Great acidity, focus and outstanding length. There is partial botrytis-affected fruit here.

92 Kanu 2006 KCB Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch, South Africa
From 55-year-old high-altitude vines planted in shale soils with an old clone, this is a clinic in concentration and freshness - the two things great chenin should have. Barrel fermentation has added lifted tobacco and spice to classic chenin pear and honey. It's medium-full-bodied, lush, powerful and warm.

91 Raats Family 2006 Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch, South Africa
A very Vouvray-like intense and mineral chenin, with cool, melon and honey on the nose. Rounded, smooth, yet juicy. Very complete and satisfying. Excellent length, with melon and lime on the finish. Winemaker Bruwer Raats says: "I have specialized because South Africa can make world-standard chenin." The truth in that statement is clear.

91 Mulderbosch 2008 Small Change Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Aged in Hungarian oak for a less-oaky affect, this beauty shows lifted pear, honey and delicate spicy clove. Fresh, creamy, vibrant and a bit sweet, with excellent length. Alas, this will be the last vintage as the vines from this block have been pulled - hopefully in the name of progress.

91 Bellingham 2007 Old Vine Bernard Series Chenin Blanc
Western Cape, South Africa
This is a real whopper, with a very ripe and powerful nose of pear, honey butter and tobacco-like spiciness from 12 months in barrel. Full-bodied, intense and aggressive, yet focused. Outstanding length. From Swartland and Stellenbosch fruit.

90 False Bay 2008 Chenin Blanc
Western Cape, South Africa
From Waterkloof, an impressive new Somerset West hilltop winery owned by Paul Boutinot of France. The grapes were purchased from Paardeberg in Swartland. Very lifted nose of cream, pear and lemon-lime is impressive and interesting. Quite powerful, with fleshy, yet great, chenin acidity. Excellent length.

90 L'Avenir 2007 Grand Vin Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch, South Africa
ON $20
From 37-year-old vines, this was slow-fermented, left barely sweet and aged 6 months in barrel. Lovely spicy, butter-mint, ripe pear/guava aromas and flavours. Medium-full-bodied, creamy, a touch soft, with lots of wood spice and evergreen on the palate. Excellent length.

90 Beaumont 2008 Hope Marguerite Chenin Blanc
Walker Bay, South Africa
From a single vineyard with 35-year-old vines, this is a cooler-clime chenin, with green herbs, fennel, pear and spice on the nose (aged 10 months in 25 percent new oak). Very zesty, full-flavoured and spicy, but not as creamy and rich as many. Leaner, mineral, juicy style.

87 Cape of Good Hope 2008 Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch, South Africa
AB $17
Loire chenin lovers, take note. Lighter 12.9 per cent alcohol is welcome, yet there is very good flavour concentration from 35-year-old vines. Youthfully closed, but correct, with tightly wound quince/pear, mineral aromas and flavours set in a zesty, stony, mouth-watering style.

86 Ken Forrester 2008 Petit Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch, South Africa
QC $14
As the name implies, this is an unwooded, stony, mild chenin, with pear/lime fruit and mint leaf notes. Mid-weight, a bit hot and very intense and juicy.

86 Katbakkies 2005 Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch , South Africa
From a "garagiste" who makes nothing but chenin, this is an arcane, Euro-inspired chenin with white mushroom, honey, petrol and spearmint scents - of interest to chenin-oligists only. It has an oxidative, wet wool, buckwheat honey flavour and a mineral finish.