LCBO Sale Pick of the Week: Jan. 22

KWV Contemporary Chenin Blanc (South Africa)

Sale $7.95, Regular $9.45
Discount (until Feb. 1): $1.50
LCBO # 18689 | 750 mL bottle

Tastes like: Apple and grapefruit, with a touch of honey.
Pairs with: A cheese plate with lots of good stuff like nuts, dried fruit, compote. Avocado salad, sunchoke soup, popcorn.
Good for: Patio season. (Remember patio season?)
Drink this: Now.
Alcohol: 12%

Why we're drinking this
What a great wine. Seriously—and not just because it’s supremely cheap. This would be a good wine at $20, but you get to pay less than half of that. You may have never knowingly tried the grape, but Chenin Blanc is one of the most famous varieties in the world among wine snobs; it’s a so-called “noble variety.” Chenin is most widely identified with the Loire region of France, but you wouldn’t know it because it’s never identified on the label. It’s also internationally acclaimed for its performance in South Africa, and it’s that country’s most widely planted grape. They call it Steen sometimes, just to be different.

Tasting note
While Chenin Blanc is a remarkably versatile grape—able to produce styles ranging from young and fresh to mature and complex to rich and uber-sweet—this one is decidedly on the fresh side. Bursting with pretty floral, green apple and grapefruit notes, it’s also packed with savoury notes of mint and green grass. The finish is clean and dry, and slightly honeyed. Quite simply, this wine is a delight to drink. It’s got some body and weight, but overall it’s a quaffable refresher. We can’t say enough about it, we’re that excited. Kudos.

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This week's selection by kwäf Taste Bud  Dick Snyder