Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc

As with so many other renowned grapes that have migrated across the globe, Chenin Blanc has its spiritual home in France. And as with some of those other grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon) Chenin Blanc turns out to do very well in South Africa.

So well in fact that wine lovers and experts can think of few other places outside of France, when they think of quality Chenin Blanc. 

Apart from Riesling there are few white grapes that make outstanding and intriguing wines in all categories from dry to sweet to sparkling, like Chenin Blanc. Not even the heavyweight Chardonnay can manage that. 

If you’re unfamiliar with this grape then Ken Forrester is one of the very best places to start. I may have a number of quibbles with the LCBO but the fact that they’ve kept this wine in the Vintages line-up all these years gets top marks from me. For the quality and at $19, this feels like a serious value proposition. Vintage after vintage.

This is from their website and it tells an important story:

“It is our vision to improve the lot of our employees by growing our business and thereby providing maximum job opportunities in a market that is desperate for support. We go a step further, we farm sustainably with no herbicides or pesticides, we till by hand, hugely labour intensive, but very satisfying, we prune, thin bunches and leaves all by hand and finally we harvest by hand. This additional employment we hope goes some way to improving the quality of life in our community and we know that if every community looked after their own, no-one would go wanting. This is our proposal, and consequently each bottle is a victory and represents a small change – for the better – in someone’s life.”

Now remember that you are getting a fabulous wine for just $19 dollars with all that work, foresight and care for the land and people behind it.

This wine is designated as Old Vines which in this case means grapes from vines at least 30 years old. It’s a desirable thing as the older the vines become, the more complexity and depth of flavour from the grapes. 

You get apricot, pear and white flowers immediately off the nose. On the palate there’s a bit of magic from that under-used herb chervil with its mild fennel character, a hint of orange, marcona almond and quince. 

Chenin Blanc, like Bordeaux’s Semillon grape, produces a rich mouthfeel of lanolin, an almost waxy sensation that carries flavours to a long finish. The Forrester Old Vines has it in spades and I recommend it as a glass on its own before you pair it with sablefish in an orange beurre blanc. 

This is a top drawer wine at a nice price.