A TRIO OF CHENIN BLANC

So in thinking ahead for Thanksgiving, I am sitting at my home tasting table, with new kitten Wiley playing with the newly peeled capsule off one of the wines, and sampling three Chenin Blancs, a grape perfectly suited for Thanksgiving. I've pulled 2 South African Chenin Blancs (the Simonsig 2007 and Kanu 2007) and one from the Loire Valley (the Michel Picard Vouvray):

SIMONSIG CHENIN BLANC STELLENBOSCH 2007

The Grade: OUTSTANDING. The Mojo: The Simonsig Chenin Blanc 2007 ($11.98) is quite fragrant in the glass, possessing hints of mineral, nutmeg and starfruit in the nose. Its light-to-medium bodied, with honeydew melon, Anjou pear and lime characters, propped up by wet stone and balanced acidity. It’s been a few vintages since I last had this wine, and I was not disappointed. This white wine is really great for the price, and would lend itself well to your Thanksgiving feast.

KANU CHENIN BLANC STELLENBOSCH 2007

The Grade: AMAZING. The Mojo: I have always been very surprised by the quality of wines from Kanu, and the Kanu Chenin Blanc 2007 ($8.99) continues the trend. There are a lot of mineral, lime and melon notes in the nose, with hints of guava, kiwi, apple and ginger. The light, delicate body of this wine is deceptive; there is a lot of complexity here, especially for under $10 a bottle. This wine really shows off just what the Chenin Blanc grape is capable of without costing an arm-and-a-leg.

MICHEL PICARD VOUVRAY 2006

The Grade: OUTSTANDING. The Mojo: The Michel Picard Vouvray 2006 ($10.98) is a subtle, light-bodied and fruit-driven Chenin Blanc from the Loire that is sure to satisfy your need for a white wine this time of year. Ideal for fish, chicken and pork dishes – should actually do well with sauerkraut – the stone fruit, melon and lime notes intermingle with slight hints of nutmeg, mineral and white flowers. The finish is slightly sweet, giving it an almost-marmalade texture on the palate, and continues for close to a minute. A great buy!