Chenin Blanc, the grape variety native to France’s Loire Valley, comes in many forms. Examples range from dry and mineral-driven to round and unctuous. It can also be crafted into sweet dessert wines or lively bottles of bubbly. But across all of these varying expressions, each wine made from this variety demonstrates compelling texture and bright acidity.

Chenin Blanc’s style depends on both where it comes from and the winemaking techniques applied. It can have rich, baked fruit or angled acidity — or sometimes both. These expressions can vary across different sites of the Loire Valley, as well as different regions across the world, as we see in this list.

Compared to its more famous white wine counterparts in the Loire Valley — like Sancerre and Muscadet — Chenin Blanc can often go overlooked. The grape is a sleeper hit with food pairings. Its complex layers of texture and subtle aromas can hang with a wide variety of dishes from fish to lean proteins or even burgers. It’s truly a unique variety that’s grown all over the world and deserves our attention.

From the Loire Valley to South Africa and from Washington State to New Zealand, here are the best Chenin Blancs of 2024.

Best Chenin Blancs Under $25

Le Chant du Coq Blanc 2023

Chenin Blanc used to be referred to as Steen in South Africa. Today, this variety is still thriving in South Africa, but is mostly called by its original name. This example is balanced with subtle hints of honey, pear, and pepper. The palate is round and grippy, but comfy with a nice medium weight. The texture is on point.

Average price: $22
Rating: 93

Best Chenin Blancs Under $50

Wandering Cellars Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2022

Here’s a good example of how the textures of Chenin Blanc can shine with a winemaker’s individuality. This bottle from Stellenbosch is mineral-driven and subtle with hints of pear and chamomile on the nose. On the palate it has a rich, waxy texture and a grip around the edges.

Average price: $27
Rating: 93

Bow & Arrow Union School Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2023

In the Pinot Noir-centric world of the Willamette Valley, this Chenin Blanc shines. Bow & Arrow winemaker Scott Frank is inspired by the wines of the Loire Valley, making wines like Melon de Bourgogne and this steely Chenin Blanc. And this wine makes an argument for more wineries to embrace Chenin in Oregon. It has a mineral-driven nose with aromas of orchard fruit. The palate offers a great texture, with juicy apple, pear, and white peach notes balanced by active acidity.

Average price: $26
Rating: 94

Astrolabe Wrekin Chenin Blanc 2023

New Zealand is most well known for Savvy B (their nickname for Sauvignon Blanc). Well, Astrolabe also works with Savvy B’s fellow Loire Valley variety Chenin Blanc, and it’s absolutely delicious. The nose pops with bright pear and apple fruit and some wet rock minerality along with a waft of salty French bistro butter. The palate is soft and round, but the acid is still very prominent. This wine is in absolute balance.

Average price: $27
Rating: 94

Orr Wines Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023

In 1998 Erica Orr met a winemaker at a bar who told her that winemaking was the most fun job in the world. Turns out they were right. Erica left her job as a lab tech and started working harvests in California. In 2005 she moved to Washington State to work in wine consulting, and in 2013 finally opened a winery of her own. This Chenin Blanc shows how wonderfully textured the grape can be in Washington State’s Columbia Valley. The wine has a floral and salty nose, and the palate is acid-driven with a medium weight.

Average price: $28
Rating: 91

Minus Tide Sterling Ranch Chenin Blanc 2023

This single-vineyard wine comes from vines planted when “The Empire Strikes Back” came out (1980). Minus Tide’s mission is to bring elegance to the wines of the rustic coastal vineyard landscapes of Menocino in Northern California. And wow, have they. The nose is rich and flinty and the palate has a wonderfully complex texture that lingers on the finish.

Average price: $32
Rating: 92

La Grange Tiphaine Clef de Sol 2022

This wine may change your life, you’ve been warned. If you’re wondering what the real deal is with this grape, this wine will help set the standard. It’s from the variety’s home in the Loire Valley, made from 80-year-old vines. The nose offers a waft of wet rocks pulled from a babbling brook with fresh citrus and a hint of ginger. The palate is crisp with a slight mineral grip around the edges and a shimmering acidity.

Average price: $35
Rating: 95

BloodRoot Heringer Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2022

BloodRoot is a project from Noah and Kelly Dorrance of Reeve Wines, where they focus on making wines from benchmark vineyard sites across California’s North Coast. This single-vineyard Chenin Blanc has a rich yet floral nose with notes of freshly sliced pear and a dollop of honey. The palate has waxy orchard fruit flavors with a great supporting acidity.

Average price: $38
Rating: 93

Failla Olivet Ranch Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2022

Failla is a path of passion for winemaker Ehren Jordan. He focuses on cool-climate sites and cool-climate-friendly grapes, and Chenin Blanc fits this mission like a glove. This bottling comes from the biodynamically farmed Olivet Ranch in California’s Russian River Valley. The nose has damp-rock minerality with subtle notes of ginger and pear. Its palate is lean with a good grip and enough fruit to match.

Average price: $42
Rating: 90

Pax Wines Alder Springs Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2023

In Northern California’s Mendocino County lies the iconic Alder Springs Vineyard. It’s known for its high-quality expressions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, but there are a few tucked-away plots of Chenin Blanc that thrive in this climate. And Pax takes full advantage of this amazing fruit. This wine pops with aromas of ginger, caramel, white pepper, and honeysuckle on the nose. The palate exhibits exceptional balance between fruit and acidity, with a lingering finish.

Average price: $45
Rating: 94

Field Recordings Jurassic Park Chenin Blanc 2023

The wine comes from Santa Barbara’s historic Jurassic Park Vineyard, which was planted in the ‘70s. The wine is bone dry (see what I did there) and the age of the vines comes through in the wine’s rich concentration. This bottle has aromas of overripe apples and pears along with soft, buttery notes. The palate has a rich, juicy core of fruit balanced by excellent acidity.

Average price: $45
Rating: 93

Thacher Winery and Vineyard Own-Rooted Chenin Blanc 2022

When a vine is own-rooted, that means the rootstock has not been grafted to protect it from pests. The idea here is that the soil and climate are safe enough for the vine to thrive on its own roots. Some say it gives more authenticity to the wine. Either way, Thacher knows exactly how to work with it. This Chenin Blanc has a subtle nose with wafts of pear and white blossoms. The mouthfeel has a nice tension to it and an even finish.

Average price: $45
Rating: 93

Arnaud Lambert Brézé Saumur Blanc Clos David 2021

Brézé is a prestigious site within the Loire Valley’s Saumur appellation known for its racy yet rich expressions of Chenin Blanc. Here’s an example that will have you seeking out more from this region. The nose is mineral-driven with citrus and ripe pear notes. The wine fills the palate with rich flavors of apples, honey, vanilla, and spice, but the concentrated fruit notes are lifted by the wine’s refreshing acidity.

Average price: $46
Rating: 94

Best Chenin Blancs Under $100

Pali Wine Co. ‘Pali Vineyard’ Chenin Blanc 2023

Pali Wine Co. has been sourcing grapes and making wine from sustainable vineyards for over a decade, and now they finally have their own estate plot. This is their first vintage of Chenin Blanc from the Pali Vineyard and it’s off to a great start! The nose is subtle with minerals and fresh apples. The palate offers very prominent acidity and a rich texture.

Average price: $50
Rating: 92

Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir Blanc ‘Vieilles Vignes Eparses’ 2020

This wine comes from the tiny Coteaux du Loir appellation in France’s Loire Valley, a small but mighty area with only 172 acres under vine. Chenin Blanc is the only white wine grape they work with, and the wines are so expressive. This is an amazing example and will have you looking for more. The nose is filled with rich notes of baked apples, juicy stone fruit, and a hint of anise. The palate is rich and deep yet refreshing with amazing natural acidity holding everything in place. With this wine’s acidity and concentration, it could even continue aging well for years.

Average price: $68
Rating: 95

Clau de Nell Chenin Blanc 2021

This wine is dedicated to Anne-Claude Leflaive, a Burgundian winemaker and pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in France. After Anne-Claude Leflaive and Christian Jacques purchased the Clau de Nell property in 2008, it was Leflaive’s wish to plant Chenin on the estate. The dedication to Chenin comes through in this excellent wine. It has a wonderful honeyed nose with hints of ginger, spice, and ripe, juicy pears. The palate is textured with great natural acidity.

Average price: $71
Rating: 94

FAQs

Where does Chenin Blanc come from?

Chenin Blanc is thought to have originated in the region of Anjou in the Loire Valley of France in the 16th Century. It is said to have gotten its name from a monastery by the name of “Montchenin” around the famous Loire Valley Château de Chenonceau where it was first planted and called Plant d’Anjou. It then traveled east across the valley to Touraine, where it was called Gros Pineau, and then west again where it gained recognition as the primary variety in the wines of Vouvray and surrounding villages such as Montlouis and Saumur. Today, Chenin Blanc is grown all over the world with most plantings seen in France and South Africa, but there are also great expressions from California, Oregon, New Zealand, and beyond.

What does Chenin Blanc taste like?

Chenin Blanc is known for its high acidity and waxy texture. The variety’s short list of aromas includes honey, floral notes, minerals, and baked apples. Chenin Blanc also comes in many forms from dry to semi-sweet or even sparkling or dessert wines.

What food pairs well with Chenin Blanc?

Chenin Blanc is a sleeper hit with food pairings. It has the acidity to handle dressed-up salads, it matches the brininess of any bivalve you can get your hands on, and works well with fish dishes whether sauced or fried. Not only that but any artisan cheese, cow, sheep, goat, you name it (especially goat) will be complemented by this wine. It’s also a great match for lean proteins like chicken.

The article The 16 Best Chenin Blancs for 2024 appeared first on VinePair.