Tag Archives: chenin blanc

Wine of the week: Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier 2011

Pine Ridge chenin blanc-viognierIn a perfect world, Americans would drink dry chenin blanc the way we drink Coke and Pepsi. Until then, we'll have to settle for the Pine Ridge ($10, purchased). Which, actually, is not a bad thing at all.

This wine has long been one of the Wine Curmudgeon's favorites, dating to the time I tasted it with some of Pine Ridge's more famous and expensive reds. No one has to guess which wine I liked best, do they?

This year's version of the Pine Ridge is about three-quarters chenin, and tastes drier than previous vintages, some of which tended toward sweet. In fact, the 2011 has a pleasing edge that I haven't tasted before — perhaps the handiwork of winemaker Michael Beaulac, who made some very zippy white wines when he was at St. Supery. Look for more grapefruit up front than in years' past, but with a very soft and delightful finish that shows off the viognier's apricot.

Chill this, and drink it by itself as the temperatures get warmer. Or pair it with spicy food, fresh summer salads, and even delicate fish. Highly recommended, and a candidate for the 2013 $10 Hall of Fame.

 

Wine of the week: Ken Forrester Petit Chenin Blanc 2009

Ken Forrester Petit Chenin Blanc 2009 This is not the wine that won a silver medal at this year’s Dallas Morning News wine competition, and which I raved about in February — with the caveat that it probably wouldn’t be available for me to buy.

Sure enough, the Wine Curmudgeon was right (another example of how misguided the wine business can be). But I did find the previous vintage, the 2009 (purchased), for $11 at Whole Foods. And it wasn’t too shabby, either. The 2009 isn’t quite as impressive as the 2010, but for a previous vintage of a simple wine that shouldn’t necessarily last this long, it was nicely done.

Ken Forrester, a South African producer, is known for its expertise with chenin blanc, and would that more wineries took this grape so seriously. The 2009 wasn’t as light as I remember the 2010 being, but it still had lots of steely minerality and tart green apple fruit. And, for those of you who are concerned about these things, it wasn’t sweet at all.

It’s a summer heat wave wine, and there’s nothing wrong with dropping an ice cube in it or keeping it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. It will pair with grilled chicken breasts and summer salads, and will also be quite welcome after work on its own as you sit out the heat of the day. And, hopefully, the 2010 will show up somewhere soon.