Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Wine Media Guild’s luncheon, featuring the Chenin Blanc grape. Prior to sitting down to lunch, attendees were invited to taste through the multitude of Chenin Blanc wines, which ranged from sparkling to still and dry to sweet. Chenin Blanc truly is a versatile varietal.

Once the tasting was over, we sat down at the beautifully-appointed table and proceeded to enjoy a delicious meal paired with the wines we had just tasted. The luncheon was held at Felidia restaurant and we were treated to a visit from Lidia Bastianich herself, part-way through the meal. Three additional wines were brought out with the dessert — a Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume and Vouvray demi-sec — which were medium-sweet and matched nicely with the meal’s concluding course.

A presentation at lunch was given by Roger Dagorn, MS, of Chanterelle Restaurant. Roger reminded us that Chenin Blanc needs the right climate, soil and winemaking to produce a great wine. Without these elements in the proper balance, the wines do not do justice to the grape.

Named for Mount Chenin, which is located in Anjou, within France’s Loire Valley, Chenin Blanc’s origins date back to the 7th century. Given this birthplace, the grape prefers a cool climate and soils with mineral and/or chalky/tuffeau characteristics. Differences in the soil can sometimes be detected distinctly in the different wines. Roger noted that more schistous soils produce wines with richer flavor/earthiness.

The wines are very aromatic and have a fatness on the palate. The winemaker must carefully balance the sugar and acidity to ensure that the wines are not flabby. The use of oak must be gentle, with older oak preferred, giving the wines a roundness and softness.

Great Chenin Blancs are extremely food friendly and can also be ageworthy. When young, the wines express tart fruit qualities with notes of citrus, earthiness and honey or honeysuckle. With age, the wines develop deep complexity with quince, more pronounced honey and a certain musty quality to them. The sweet wines, with their preservative combination of sugar, acidity and oak, can nearly age forever.

Within the Loire Valley, Chenin Blanc is primarily produced in Anjou, Saumur and Vouvray. These are classic Chenin Blanc wines, with the full range offered from bone dry to bottrytized, dessert wines. Worldwide, Chenin Blanc can be found in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne (New Zealand), cooler areas of California and the Okanagan Valley in Canada. It is also widely grown in South Africa, accounting for 31% of all plantings, serving as a surogate home for the grape.

Chenin Blanc may not be the grape on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but it certainly is worthy of grabbing the spotlight from time to time. And, with such versatility, it should be relatively easy to find a wine style you enjoy.