What does Chenin Blanc taste like?

medium-bodied with very high acidity; typical aromas are green apple, quince, pear, honey, chamomile, wet wool.

Grapes › Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc

Q: Is Chenin Blanc sweet or dry?

Chenin Blanc is usually dry. bone dry (Savennières, most South African) → off-dry/demi-sec (Vouvray) → luscious botrytis (Coteaux du Layon, Quarts de Chaume); also sparkling

Q: What is similar to Chenin Blanc?

Riesling, Chardonnay, Sémillon, Furmint

white grape · also Steen Vouvray / Montlouis; Savennières; Coteaux du Layon / Quarts de Chaume serve 7–11 °C ages 2–30 years

Chenin Blanc is a white grape: medium-bodied, very high acidity, usually dry. 10 Chenin Blanc wines from £13.52. Typical aromas: green apple, quince, pear, honey, chamomile, wet wool.

Typical structure · knowledge base

dry

medium

very high

little

Is Chenin Blanc sweet or dry?

Usually dry. bone dry (Savennières, most South African) → off-dry/demi-sec (Vouvray) → luscious botrytis (Coteaux du Layon, Quarts de Chaume); also sparkling

What goes with it

pork, roast chicken, Thai food (off-dry), goat cheese, apple desserts (sweet), fish in cream sauce. high acid plus texture; the sweetness spectrum covers spicy to dessert

Where it grows

Vouvray / Montlouis, France — every sweetness level; check the label

Savennières, France — dry, austere, ageworthy

Coteaux du Layon / Quarts de Chaume, France — botrytis sweet

South Africa (Swartland, Stellenbosch), South Africa — most planted grape; old-vine dry versions are serious

If you like Chenin Blanc

Riesling Chardonnay Sémillon Furmint

10 Chenin Blanc wines · ranked by critic score, then price · showing 10

sweetness · body on 1–5 · inferred

Wine	Vintage	Style	Score	From
El Enemigo Chenin Blanc 2024 El Enemigo · Mendoza	2024	Rich, round whites	94	£22.63
Badenhorst Kalmoesfontein White Blend 2022 Badenhorst · Swartland	2022	Rich, round whites	94	£24.62
Clau de Nell Cabernet Franc 2023 Clau de Nell · Loire	2023	Rich, smooth reds	94	£32.93
Clau de Nell Chenin Blanc 2023 Clau de Nell · Loire	2023	Rich, round whites	94	£42.50
Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2025 Badenhorst · Swartland	2025	Rich, round whites	93	£15.95
L'Ecole No. 41 Yakima Valley Chenin Blanc 2024 L'Ecole No. 41 · Washington	2024	Aromatic whites	93	£20.38
The Prisoner Wine Company Saldo Chenin Blanc 2023 The Prisoner Wine Company · California	2023	Rich, round whites	93	£22.90
Rijk's Private Cellar Pinotage 2021 Rijk's · Western Cape	2021	Rich, smooth reds	93	£28.48
Jordan Inspector Peringuey Chenin Blanc 2024 Jordan · Stellenbosch	2024	Rich, round whites	92	£13.52
Mullineux Kloof Street Chenin Blanc 2024 Mullineux · Swartland	2024	Rich, round whites	92	£15.29