As part of the celebrations, wine lovers and industry professionals will gather at the Drink Chenin Festival at Cavalli Wine Estate in the Cape Winelands, where over 20 of the country’s top producers will present tastings of their finest Chenin Blanc wines.
While the day is festive in spirit, its significance goes far deeper as Chenin Blanc is a vital contributor to South Africa’s wine economy.
“It’s a celebration of South Africa’s most planted grape variety and the one with the longest history in the country. Chenin or ‘Steen’ was one of the first cuttings of grapes brought to the Cape in 1655 and one, if not the first, grape to be pressed and made into wine in 1659,” says Abi Mitton, manager of the Chenin Blanc Association.
According to figures from the SA Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS), South Africa is home to 51% of the world’s Chenin Blanc vineyards, ahead of France (31,5%) and Argentina (6,4%). More than half (52%) of South Africa’s old vine wines are Chenins. With nearly 20% of all plantings in the country, Chenin Blanc is also one of the highest contributing categories to the R55 billion wine industry that employs over 270 000 people.
Despite its prominent role today, the variety has overcome a legacy of low-quality perception.
“Chenin Blanc has had a tough time because it was made in vast quantities by big co-ops in the last century and shipped around the world. The global reputation of South African Chenin Blanc was that it was a table wine, not very complex and not top quality,” Mitton explains.
According to Mitton, that changed in the 1990s when producers began unlocking the grape’s full potential with improved viticultural practices and winemaking innovations.
“It’s an incredibly diverse grape variety which can be made in so many different styles – dry, sweet, oaked, unoaked, sparkling, still, young vines, old vines. It’s a resilient grape variety that can grow in many conditions from a hot climate to a cooler climate, from granite soils to clay soils.”
This resilience makes it an ideal crop for South Africa’s varied climate and terroir, and helps drive export potential.
“It’s a magnificent grape variety and South Africa is making some outstanding wines from this grape. Our wines can now stand proudly on the international stage against other fine wines of the world,” says Mitton.
She adds that the Chenin Blanc Association is actively building on this progress. “Our core mission is to be internationally recognised as the authority on South African Chenin Blanc by raising awareness and endorsing the reputation of Chenin Blanc from South Africa as a source of outstanding quality wines on a global scale. In short, we champion our heritage grape and those who grow it and make Chenin wines.”
She says the celebration of Chenin Blanc on a day like Drink Chenin Day is also about discovery.
“There is so much going on in the world of Chenin Blanc. I would like to recommend that wine drinkers explore this grape variety in its different styles and price points. There are some amazing affordable Chenins on the market right now, and at the top end, some of the best wines in the world are Chenin Blanc.”
