Painted Wolf Chenin Blanc
January 14, 2015 § 2 Comments
Score: 8.4 – Over Delivers
Price: $17.99
About the Wine: Chenin Blanc is a truly noble grape that makes a royal wine. Citrus, pear and creamy apple, this wine if a richly textured white wine that also offers vibrancy and freshness. You have likely seen photos depicting the incredible beauty and diversity of South Africa. Close your eyes, taste the wine and you can get a sense of the sheer opulent beauty of the region this wine comes from.
Value: I have often chosen this wine over a $17-$20 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or California Chardonnay such as Wente Morning Fog. A great alternative to run of the mill $15-$16 Chardonnays & Apothic White. Sadly there aren’t many Chenins on the market which gives this wine some added ‘discovery’ value.
Added Value: As there are only a few Chenins on the market, this is a great wine to share with the Foodies. This wine also provides added value to those about to enjoy a Date Night or just a comfortable Movie Night. If you are planning on Beer Butt Chicken or Grilled Halibut from the BBQ… heaven awaits.
More To The Story: There are really two stories here. The wine comes from the Paarl Valley of South Africa and is the artistry of Jeremy and Emma Borg.
Jeremy and Emma have shared a life as Safari guides. They were both struck by the beauty of the African Wild Dog, also known as the Painted Wolf, and the fragility of their environment and numbers. Part proceeds of every bottle sold goes to support the Painted Wolf in their natural habitat.
The second story is the wines of South Africa and what their impact will be in the coming years. For a number of years South African producers spent their sales efforts on the UK and Northern Europe, and exported whatever they had left to BC & Alberta. Today there are far more wineries competing for space in the European markets meaning that we will start to see some great values here.
I was in South Africa a couple of years back and tasted some incredible wines, including those of Jeremy and Emma Borg. I believe that the next hot category could be South Africa.
Service: Chill down, but not too cold. If there is condensation on the bottle after coming out of the fridge, let it warm up a bit and the fruit and full complexity of the wine will shine through.
Grapes: Chenin Blanc
Store Section: South Africa
Appellation: Paarl
Available: Everything Wine, Metro Liquor Tuscany, Legacy Liquor Store
Buy Online: Everything Wine, Metro Liquor, Legacy Liquor Store
Alcohol: 13.5 %
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