Chenin Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc:
Chenin Blanc is South Africa’s standard-bearer and quite rightly so. Not only are the wines full of honeyed, appley, steely excellence, but the number of old ‘steen’ (as Chenin was known in South Africa) vineyards is one of the world’s great viticultural patrimonies.
No other country in the world puts Chenin on a pedestal in quite the way South Africa does and it deserves to be celebrated and loved.
Semillon too has some wonderful old vineyards making thrilling, complex wine and South Africa is forging a path with some refreshing, not-overly aromatic Sauvignon Blancs which are more Ligerien than Malburian and all the better for it. Oh and the Semillon-Sauvignon blends aren’t too bad either (see next slide).
