CHENIN BLANC SAMPLER FROM DRY TO OFF-DRY TO SPARKLING

Chenin Blanc 2016, Freerun Steen, Man Vintners, South Africa white, $17.05, SAQ # 13090578. A more textured chenin. Shows that varietal quince and orange rind note. Comfortable, textured and with decent fruit. Good for an apéritif and lighter fare. Residual sugar: 6 g/L. Grape variety: chenin blanc. Serve at: 8-10 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: apéritif, lighter seafood, mussels.

Chenin Blanc 2015, Old Vine Reserve, Stellenbosch, Ken Forrester, South Africa white, $19.80, SAQ # 11093126. An example of how South Africa can make great chenin. Richly textured, enigmatic fruit that touches on melon and apples, and with a long, almost tannic finish that has a honeyed note to it. Way too big for an apéritif, but will work with nearly everything else. Residual sugar: 2 g/L. Grape variety: chenin blanc. Serve at: 8-10 C. Drink now-2022. Food serving idea: seafood pasta with cream and cheese sauce, risotto with seafood and mushrooms.

Crémant de Limoux 2014, Tête de Cuvée, Clos des Demoiselles, Laurens, France sparkling, $22.50, SAQ # 10498973. Drinking bubbles in the summer makes so much sense and this is one of my favourite sparklers, combining the elegance of chardonnay with the aromatic punch of chenin. As always, very finessed, with orchard fruit, spice and a solid mineral streak. Residual sugar: 12 g/L. Grape varieties: chardonnay, chenin blanc, pinot noir. Serve at: 8 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: apéritif, smoked salmon.

Chenin Blanc 2016, Vieilles Vignes, Bernard Series, Bellingham, South Africa white, $25.10, SAQ # 11154911. Proper chenin. Textured and weighty with a mix of peach and orange. The fruit comes at you in layers, with delicate minerality. Lengthy. Residual sugar: 3.3 g/L. Grape variety: chenin blanc. Serve at: 8-12 C. Drink now-2021. Food pairing idea: apéritif, grilled scallop, fried calamari.

Vouvray 2015, Domaine Vincent Carême, France white, $27.10, SAQ # 11633612. Organic. This is absolutely beautiful. Great aromatic complexity, from quince to orange rind. Bright acidity, but textured and rich. Shows a touch of sweetness on the finish, but that’s just fine. Store a few of these away. Residual sugar: 7.8 g/L. Grape variety: chenin blanc. Serve at: 8-12 C. Drink now-2022. Food pairing idea: apéritif, shrimp and avocado salad with spicy mayonnaise.

Chenin Blanc 2016, Quails’ Gate, British Columbia white, $20.05, SAQ # 11262920. A good apéritif, as the roughly 10 per cent sauvignon brings a solid lemony streak and a certain familiarity. The chenin’s complexity is there, but you have to fight to find it. Residual sugar: 3.3 g/L. Grape variety: chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc. Serve at: 8-10 C. Drink now-2018. Food pairing idea: apéritif, mussels with white wine and herbs.

Coteaux du Loir 2015, L’Effraie, Domaine de Bellivière, France white, $35, SAQ # 11495467. One of my favourite chenins. Provocative, with depth and energy. From the northern reaches of the central Loire Valley, this is lean chenin blanc, with minerality at the forefront. Shows a touch more sweetness in youth, which serves to amp up the aromatics. You can spin this in your glass for hours and find something new with each sniff. Residual sugar: 9.6 g/L. Grape variety: chenin blanc. Serve at: 8-10 C. Drink now-2025. Food pairing idea: shrimp/seafood stir-fry with hot chili, seafood pasta with cream sauce.