An important white grape variety planted in the Anjou-Saumur and Touraine regions of the Loire Valley and the most widely planted varietal grape in South Africa where it is easier to grow and is prized for its versatility.

Most wine drinkers encounter Chenin Blanc on the labels of very cheap, sometimes slightly sweetened, everyday varietals from California (usually Central Valley) or South Africa. In these relatively hot wine-producing environments, Chenin Blanc's ability to hang on to its natural grape acidity is highly prized, and stops these inexpensive, usually rather bland wines tasting flabby. It is often used as a cheap blending option with Chardonnay, Colombard and Muscat but is also bottled unblended.

In the Loire, it produces high quality dry wines in Savenniéres, and luscious sweet, dessert wines in Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux and Quarts de Chaume which can be an absolute mar­vel of honey, lime and toast which can continue to improve in bottle for decades. In Vouvray and Montlouis it can be dry, medium dry, or sweet, and still or sparkling. Whether dry or sweet, the best Loire Chenin Blancs possess marvellously concentrated rich, honeyed fruit together with refreshingly vibrant acidity. Damp straw, flowers, something vaguely honeyed and the acrid sting of sulphur are the usual distinguishing features. It is Chenin Blanc`s high acidity that enable the wines to age so well.

However, an increasing number of producers in South Africa, New Zealand and California are now taking Chenin Blanc seriously for it can also make at­tractively assertive, full-bodied dry wines if the site is right and yields are restricted. It is widely distributed and its reliable acid level is valued as an ingredient in sparkling wines such as Blanquette de Limoux and those of South America, notably Argentina.