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Varietal: Chenin Blanc
The green skinned grapes of the Chenin Blanc varietal are used for a wide range of different wines. In their native home of France, they are used for the production of some excellent sparkling crémants, or allowed to develop noble rot, which intensifies their natural sweetness and produces some unusual and intense flavors In most countries around the world, though, Chenin Blanc grapes are used for the production of high quality still white wines, which have the ability to express the finer features of the terroir they are grown on. Many winemakers like to age their Chenin Blanc wines in oak or chestnut barrels, which adds an extra layer of complexity to the wines. These grapes thrive best in heavy clay soils, and ripen late in the season, when their natural flavors can come through fully.
Region: Coastal Region
The coastal region of South Africa is a wonderful place for viticulture. With gorgeously long, hot summer days, tempered by brisk oceanic winds, the grapevines can grow healthily, the fruit can ripen fully, and beautiful wines of great character and flavor can be made. For several hundred years now, the coastal region of South Africa has proven itself to be a highly important wine region, capable of supporting many grape varietals, suitable for still, fortified and sparkling wines. Today, the most popular grapes by far are Chenin Blanc, which produces the most recognizable wines of South Africa. However, also popular are many of the Bordeaux varieties of red and white grape, along with relative newcomers, such as Pinotage, which grow exceptionally well in the coastal terroir.
Country: South Africa
With its hot, long summers and oceanic winds from both the west and the east, South Africa is something of a haven for a wide range of imported grape varietals. Since the mid-18th century, the country has been associated with some very fine wines made using complex and careful blending techniques, with one of the most famous and widely loved early examples being constructed from Pontac, Muscadel and Chenin Blanc varietals. Since those colonial days, the regions around Cape Town have proven again and again to be fantastic areas for producing interesting and delicious wines, with many of the best examples of Champagne style sparkling wines originating from these fertile lands. From the scorchingly hot regions of Orange Rivers, to the far cooler and temperate appellations in Walker Bay, South Africa has developed a booming wine industry responsible for many of the finest New World wines available anywhere across the globe.