Chenin Blanc, a Worldly and Delicious Underdog Wine
Lettie Teague on a white grape that, like Riesling, can be produced in a wide range of styles and pairs well with food.
Lettie Teague
BiographyLettie Teague
Lettie.Teague@wsj.com
July 19, 2013 1:20 pm ET
SOME GRAPES LANGUISH in total obscurity while others suffer an even worse fate: ignominy. I'm referring to Chenin Blanc, which may be the world's most noble yet most discredited grape.
Although it was mentioned in the François Rabelais series of novels "The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel" in a rather nice way (it was described as having the texture of taffeta), Chenin was also once thought to have been named after the French word for dog (chien). While Chenin can produce wines of depth and complexity, it's...
In Defense of the World's Most Discredited Wine
Some grapes languish in total obscurity while others suffer an even worse fate: ignominy. Lettie Teague joins Lunch Break to offer a defense of the Chenin Blanc, arguably the world's most noble yet most discredited grape. Photo: Getty Images.