Celebrate Drink Chenin Blanc Day
This week we celebrated Drink Chenin Blanc Day (as if we needed an excuse).
The founding dream of Marri Wood Park was to make a bone dry, barrel fermented, age worthy Chenin. A bit of a foolish notion, given the unpopularity of the variety in Australia at the time. But fast forward 30 years, and who’s laughing now?
Having just emerged from what can only be described as the summer of new Chenin in Western Australia, there is well and truly still a spotlight on the heroic white variety of France’s Loire Valley.
With bottles varying from carefree sparklings, crisp and talcy stills, to velvety sweet whites – the diversity of Chenin around the world will keep a keen taster busy for a long while.
Wandering through our wine store, you are going to find a few drops of Chenin to whet your palate…
Our 2022 Chenin Blanc is showing a beautifully luminous pale gold in the glass, with bright, fresh, lifted notes of green and red apples, sea spray and a hint of fresh toast on the nose. On the palate there is beautifully crisp acid, complemented by some chalky undertones, more crunchy red apple flavours and a lingering mouth pleasing finish. This is looking fantastic now and will happily sit in your cellar for at least 10 years, if not longer.
The 2018 Sparkling Chenin Blanc is texturally creamy and very tight, with delicate flavours that duck and dive between the bubbles of fine bead. This has granny smith apple, fresh lime with good line and acidity. Very fresh for the 4 years it has under its belt, in another five, the fruit will have receded in order to make way for the gentle spice and talcy texture that will no doubt emerge. Soft and very pretty now, with no shortage of race and pace in the mouth.
And if you’re looking for something a little special….
Our 2009 Reserve Chenin Blanc, a limited release from our museum. A rare wine, made under the watchful eye of legendary winemaker Bob Cartwright, with a specific wish to be age-worthy.
It now has spent over 14 years in the bottle and is ageing beautifully. A fantastic example of how graceful and long-lived great Chenin Blanc can be, it is sparkling mid-gold in the glass, bright and intense on the nose, and still looks super-tight.
You cannot go past a bottle (or case) of this. A guaranteed delight.
The new release 2023 Marri Wood Park Chenin Blanc is not too far away. Get excited.
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