Wild Valley Taste The Difference Chenin Blanc 2011

Grape:       Chenin Blanc

Price:         £9 - £6

Store:         Sainsbury's

Country:    South Africa

Region:      Wellington

ABV:          13.5%

  

The time of change is upon us once again.  The temperature has taken a definite step downwards, the wind has picked up and the rain is more persistent.  The inevitable transformation of trees as they shed their summer coats coincides with my growing urge to leave crisp white wines behind and hunt out full bodied, spicy reds. 

Now, I do appreciate the beauty in this season's change and why for some people, Autumn is their favourite time of year, however, I am not one of those people.  I dislike the short notice we get between light and warm evenings, to dark and wet nights;  I know which one I'd rather walk the dog in.  The problem is, I do love Winter and you can't get there without passing through the dampest, most turbulent season first.  So, my plan to fend Autumn off as long as I can is to keep drinking like it is Summer until things become twinkly and crisp.

This week's, I'm determined to not quite let go of the Summer just yet, choice is a surprisingly good Chenin Blanc from Sainsbury's Taste the Difference range which also comes with Fairtrade accreditation. The Chenin Blanc grape is grown worldwide but is most notable in France, South Africa, New Zealand and USA.  It is very versatile and will respond to different climates by presenting very different flavours (much like Reisling or Chardonnay) and can be made in styles to fit the spectrum all the way from sweet to bone-dry.  This makes confidence in buying Chenin Blanc difficult because there can be confusion with what to expect;  a problem compounded by a market laden with cheap and nasty bottles which gives Chenin Blanc a bad name.

Medium lemon in colour, this wine smells gently of pineapple and soft citrus. Other blended tropical fruits can be detected in the background and the sensation of crispness also comes across. The first attack contains the aforementioned fruit with a pleasant portion of acidity present. It feels medium or even light in body, making it very easy to drink in these, 'late summer months'.  A surprise comes at the end with a slightly oily or buttery texture which adds a touch of depth before the short but well structured aftertaste.

If you aren't quite ready to admit defeat, this wine will make it easy to block out the rain hammering on the window or the growing pile of leaves at the front door.  I am also grudgingly prepared to admit that it tastes just as well in front of a roaring fire.

Sainsbury's have numerous stores throughout the UK and can also be found on line at www.sainsburys.co.uk.

'La Rioja' Torrontes Chardonnay Argentina 2011

What I love most about writing these reviews (apart from the joy I know it gives you to read them), is that I push myself into trying different wines that I otherwise might not normally go for.  This inevitably leads to self-discoveries of two different varieties.

Firstly, you have the negative discovery.  Simply put, this is a wine you don't like.  Be it the grape, the acidity, the taste, the company or a combination of factors.  It doesn't matter what it is, you just know that you don't like it.   Each negative discovery however, provides you with another valuable nugget of knowledge about your own preferences and rather than adding to your list, it simplifies matters a little by removing an option instead.  Whilst this is useful info, it still leaves you with one further question.  What to do with a three quarter full bottle of plonk you don't like. (Yes I know OK, you just drink it anyway)

The second type of discovery is my favourite.  Positive discovery.  This week's wine falls perfectly into that category.  This bottle came from the high street champions of fairtrade, the Co-Op at a very affordable price in the region of £6.  The wine is from the confusingly named 'La Rioja Valley' in Argentina but is made from an undisclosed mixture of Torrontes and Chardonnay grape, with not a Tempranillo grape in sight!

As we know from my previous reviews, young Chardonnay can be sharp, flint like and refreshingly crisp.  In stark contrast however, the Torrontes is aromatic, floral and fruity.  They also share similar traits.  Both are dry, medium to high in acidity and perform well while young.  These common characteristics create a very good base upon which to build a great tasting wine.

In this one, the Torrontes provides much of the sweet and aromatic senses on the nose.  You don't have to try hard at all to get clean and pronounced rose, honey and grapefruit, although the latter could be coming from the Chardonnay.  Taking my time, I felt I could also pick up on softer citrus flavours, maybe orange as well as a faintness of ground white pepper.  

Chardonnay grabs your attention by stomping its foot in your mouth with a powerful, crisp and dry minerality.  This is quickly followed with fruit, although most sweetness is left behind in the nose and so delivers only the slightly tart zing of grapefruit with maybe the tiniest hint of peach or lychee to prevent any one-eyed wincing.  The acidity lingers after swallowing but doesn't outstay its welcome, leaving the sensation of enjoyable refreshment. I would compare this to a Gewurztraminer from Chilean wine producer, Yali (which you can get it at Majestic Wine for about £7/£8) which also delivered a sweet and floral nose and was dryer than expected upon tasting.

Positive discoveries also leave you with one further question.  Will anyone notice if I try to get more in my glass than theirs?