WTN: 2006 Vineland Estates Chenin Blanc (Niagara Peninsula VQA)

Just back from Fiesta Buckhorn held in the village by the same name (click to see where it is on the map) where I met Dave Gimbel of Vineland Estates, one of the many wineries displaying their wines at this weekend event. Vineland has the rare distinction of producing one of, if not Ontario's one and only, varietal Chenin Blancs. Chenin Blanc is one of the most widely planted (perhaps the most widely planted) of grapes in South Africa, where it typically goes by the name of Steen. This was my first experience with an Ontario-grown version.

Pale, crystal clear light straw colour. Very invigorating nose of citrus rind and a stoney minerality coupled with tightly wound tropical fruits. Very crisp and well-structured on the palate, with somewhat hard acidity (hey, this is '06 we're talking about and it was hardly an ideal vintage) and a bit of sourness on the finish, but in every other way a truly promising wine leading me to plan a definite interest in subsequent years.

I am hoping that the fine summer we are so far having will stretch right through September so that this year's wines will be exemplary across the board. I have no idea how well Chenin Blanc takes our harsh winters, but if it is reasonably hardy then I say keep it - and plant more. The Vineland Estates version is truly a fine indicator of what the grape can do here.

It doesn't surprise me that Chenin Blanc, being the grape used in Vouvray from Loire, would find a home on the Niagara Peninsula. Cab Franc does well in the Loire, so why not Chenin. I'll have to find this wine as I'm a fan of Vouvray. Thanks for posting Paul.

Good post Paul. Vineland is doing some good stuff these days, especially with Riesling. Chenin Blanc, wow big surprise!!

Paul, Chenin is the largest planted variety in South Africa. There is more there than anywhere else in the world, and it is rarely known as Steen these days.

Thanks Peter. But why would they go international with the name and stop calling it Steen, I wonder? Was that the Afrikaans term and now the French (or international one) has taken precedence for marketing reasons?

Thanks Peter. But why would they go international with the name and stop calling it Steen, I wonder? Was that the Afrikaans term and now the French (or international one) has taken precedence for marketing reasons?

It was only in 1963 that the variety Steen - which has been grown in the Cape since the 1600's - was identified as actually being Chenin Blanc, and not a separate grape variety.

It made sense to use the internationally recognised name. There are other complications; there is a popular white wine style named Stein which is a sweetish white blend often (usually?) containing a high proportion of Chenin.

Chenin was grown mostly for brandy ( a very popular drink in SA), but those making serious Chenin wines use the name Chenin Blanc. There are some bottles labelled Steen but they tend to be cheap sweetish Chenins.

All the serious Chenin Blancs use that name.

Re the origin of the name Steen, seems that too was a misunderstanding.

Jan Van Riebeeck introduced the first vines to the Cape in 1655. Early documents refer to three varieties: Groendruif (Semillon), Fransdruif and Steen. It seems that the origin of the names Fransdruif and Steen are intertwined. There is a theory that the name 'Steen' developed when the Dutch who settled in the Cape decoded 'Listan' to 'La Stan', then 'De Steen' and finally, 'Steen'. In the 1920s, it was established that Fransdruif, rather than Steen, was the variety Listan in France, and Palomino, in Spain From the Chenin Blanc Association site - http://www.chenin.co.za/History.asp