A cup of Chenin, a pinch of Viognier

by Robin Garr | July 12, 2024

Quick! Who can tell me what a wine maker and a chef have in common? Stumped? They can both blend ingredients to create delicious flavors.

What do you think?

What’s your pleasure: Single-varietal wines or blends of grapes? Tell us your choice in Substack Chat!

A chef might painstakingly whisk egg yolks and butter into the silken emulsion we know as hollandaise sauce, or roll out chilled dough and butter repeatedly until they’ve built a perfect croissant.

And those are traditional recipes. Imagine the effort involved in meeting the original Japanese Iron Chef’s memorable challenge to create “artistic dishes never tasted before … new original cuisines which could be called true artistic creations.”

What could a wine maker do to match those flights of creativity? I covered the basics of single-varietal wines vs. blends last October in my column, Three amigos, so I’ll offer you that link to refresh your memory rather than going through the details again.

The four Iron Chefs from the original Iron Chef Japan.

Briefly, though, many wines are single-varietal by law or tradition, such as European classics like Burgundy (Pinot Noir or Chardonnay), Barolo (Nebbiolo), or the 100% Cabernet Sauvignons that dominate Napa Valley’s production. Lots more European classics are blends but limit the ingredient list: Bordeaux (Cabernet-Merlot-Cabernet Franc, etc.) and Chianti (at least 70% to 80% Sangiovese plus smaller amounts of Colorino, Canaiolo Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot).

Now and then, though, a wine maker unbound by regulation or tradition will turn to their virtual pantry shelf and choose a little of this, some of that, and a bit of something else, using their skills and intuition to create something deliciously different.

So it is with today’s featured wine, Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier, which stands out as a kind of chef-driven creation because it’s an unusual combination of two different California-grown grapes that don’t usually go together: 80% Chenin Blanc from Clarksburg and 20% Viognier from Lodi.

According to the Pine Ridge website, “In 1995, our founder Gary Andrus and team crafted this unusual and delectable blend as an experimental bottling. The blend was originally sold in small quantities out of the tasting room in Napa Valley, but as more people tried it, it became one of our most beloved and popular wines.

“This unique marriage of two varietals that would never share the same bottle in their native France unites the crisp, honeyed fruit of Chenin Blanc with the plush body and juicy stone fruit notes of Viognier, for a wine that is both sophisticated and easy to enjoy.”

Nearly 30 years later, the Chenin Blanc-Viognier blend remains popular, and justly so. It’s produced under the supervision of Colleen FitzGerald, who oversees this wine’s fermentation and blending and also works with growers in the Sacramento Delta region to make decisions about pruning and vine management as well as harvest timing, which is crucial with Chenin Blanc.

“I love working with Chenin Blanc because it has distinctive acidity and vibrant lemon-lime characters that complement the weight and floral notes of Viognier,” she says. “It’s an inspired, food-friendly, unpretentious wine. I like it with curry, barbecue, anything spicy.”

It’s a good wine, not just for summer but year-round. Here’s my tasting report.

Today’s Tasting Report

Pine Ridge 2023 Chenin Blanc-Viognier ($13.99)

A clear straw-color blend of 80% Chenin Blanc from Clarksburg and 20% Viognier from Lodi, Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier presents a symphony of citrus and stone fruit on the nose and palate: mango and peach, mandarin orange and lime, with hints of honey joining in a bright, fresh flavor with just a hint of fresh-fruit sweetness well balanced by zippy acidity. It’s all fruit without a touch of oak, and easy sipping at a modest 12% alcohol. (July 11, 2024)

FOOD MATCH: Chenin Blanc is delightfully versatile and food-friendly. The producer recommends an array of food matches from appetizers like goat cheese, radishes, and olives, Thai curries, frittata with sweet onions and ricotta, or a shrimp and avocado tostada. It worked beautifully for us with pasta with garlic, Kalamata olives and olive oil and a summer salad with goat cheese.

WHEN TO DRINK: It’s not a wine meant for long-term aging, but Chenin Blanc holds up nicely over time, and this brand-new vintage is certainly safe to hold for a few years.

VALUE:
My local price matches the $14 average U.S. retail at Wine-Searcher.com; some vendors offer it for just $10. It’s a fine value across this range, but it obviously makes sense to shop for price.

WEB LINK:
Here’s a link to the Pine Ridge info page on the 2023 Chenin Blanc-Viognier.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read more about Pine Ridge winery and browse its portfolio at this Wine-Searcher link.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link for information about the Chenin Blanc grape worldwide and links to vendors for dozens of examples of the variety.

Find the wines you want

Explore Wine-Searcher

Wine-Searcher.com is the place to go online if you want to find where to buy a particular wine that interests you. What’s more, Wine-Searcher.com offers so much more. It’s well worth a visit just to discover its many features, including its popular list of the world’s Top 10 Best Value Wines.

Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!

Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!

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