Brown Brothers Chenin Blanc 

Australia

THE WINE

This current release is pale in colour and displays youthful green hues in the glass.  The nose is lifted with aromas of tropical fruit and honeydew melon.  The wine shows intense tropical fruit flavours with a hint of residual sweetness which is balanced by refreshing acidity.  When describing this wine the words zippy, fresh and exuberant immediately spring to mind.  This wine is best enjoyed when young and vibrant.

THE GRAPE VARIETY

Chenin Blanc is a French white grape variety with its origins in the picturesque Loire Valley in the central west of the country.  Grown on the gentle slopes outlying the medieval villages of Vouvray and Saumur, it produces a wide range of deliciously fruity wines, from still dry and sparkling wines to the rich, flavoursome long-lived botrytis affected dessert wines.
The variety is also widely planted in South Africa where it is known as Steen and California where it is popular for the fresh acid it retains, even in warm years.  In spite of its popularity and renown overseas, it is not well known or widely planted in Australia.  The Brown family was one of the first to foster the variety after seeing the potential in its mouth filling fruit flavours, fresh acidity and the fullness of flavour.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

The Chenin Blanc grapes for this wine were grown in South Eastern Australia.  The fruit was harvested in parcels from early February 2007 through to mid March at a range of baumé levels from 10.8° to 13.4°.  To retain the varietal fruit characters, the wine received minimal handling and underwent cold fermentation.  It was bottled soon after fermentation with an alcohol of 12.0%, a pH of 3.30 and an acid level of 6.3 g/L.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

This easy to drink wine is a great accompaniment to a wide range of dishes, particularly those with a hint of spice.  Try it with a Thai green chicken curry where the fruit characters of the wine will fully complement the spices.  Alternatively, spicy fish cakes with a chilli dipping sauce or smoked salmon with avocado salsa.  This wine could also be served with a platter of soft cheeses (such as brie and camembert) with sliced pear and fresh grapes.

Best enjoyed when young and vibrant.

Available at major supermarkets while stocks last.  Infromation provided by brownbrothers.com.au