Very clear straw color with just a hint of brass. Good, characteristic Chenin aromas, subtle and hard to pick out … white fruit, maybe a hint of pear and fig, a whiff of beeswax, a faint heavy-floral note; it’s pleasant and appealing overall. Mouth-filling and medium-bodied, coats the palate with tart, rich white-fruit flavors with citrus overtones. Good, firm acidity. 13% alcohol, and at least nearly dry, only the juicy fruit giving a slight impression of sweetness. Its mouth-coating nature imparts an extremely long finish with a citric orange-blossom impression that takes a long time to fade. U.S. importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, Ill. (May 4, 2016)

FOOD MATCH: This aromatic Chenin would go nicely with a range of poultry, fish or cheese dishes; it would fare well with spicy, not too fiery curries. It was excellent with a spring pasta dish, fettuccine with a pesto of fresh garden-picked spinach and arugula with walnuts, garlic, Parmigiano and olive oil.

WHEN TO DRINK: It’s absolutely ready to drink, but Chenin Blanc can be a worthy ager, so if you have access to good cellar conditions, it couldn’t hurt to set a few bottles aside to start sampling in five years or so.

VALUE: Excellent value for the price. Wine-Searcher.com lists a $16 average U.S. retail, but prices vary widely, to a low of $8.99 at one Florida store and many in the lower teens, so it may pay to shop around if direct wine shipments are available where you live.

WEB LINK
The U.S. importer offers a short fact sheet on this wine here.

The wine bottle, by the way, is decorated with a stylish painted-on paisley-look pattern; all the details are on a removable “back label” with a link to an interesting page suggesting ways to reuse the empty bottle, with submitted photos of the bottle (or part of it) in use as a vase, a glass, an olive-oil container or what-have-you.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for A. Rupert “Protea” Western Cape Chenin Blanc on Wine-Searcher.com.