ALTERNATIVE VITICULTUREWINEMAKINGVITICULTURE VARIETIES

is riddled and disgorged ready for the market. With the St Johns Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc we hand pick the fruit; here we are looking for just-ripe pear A view across the Churchview vineyard. characters. We run a small picking team so the fruit is carefully graded in the vineyard as we only want clean fruit that has had some exposure to the morning sun. This mean the pickers only Chenin Blanc work one side of the vines and just pick the bunches that are perfectly exposed. By Peter Dry, Emeritus Fellow, The remaining fruit is machine The Australian Wine Research Institute harvested for other ranges. The fruit is then whole bunch pressed BACKGROUND America has limited plantings except Chenin Blanc (shennin blonk) is an in Argentina where it is mainly grown with the juice going straight into French in Mendoza and usually blended with oak puncheons comprising a mix of ages old variety that has been known in the Loire since at least the 15thcentury other varieties such as Chardonnay. from new to four years old. There is no — some sources claim as early as the In Australia there were 520ha in inoculation; we rely purely on the 9th century. DNA analysis has shown 2012 (mainly Riverland, Swan Districts and Margaret River) and at least 140 indigenous yeast from the vineyard. We that Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin wine producers. Until the 1970s, all also have a few barrels in which we put Blanc are likely siblings (offspring Chenin Blanc in Western Australia whole bunches to add to the mouthfeel of Savagnin Blanc and an unknown and the Barossa Valley was incorrectly parent). Synonyms include Agudelo, and depth of palate. The wine is allowed known as Semillon and Albillo/ Agudillo (Spain), Anjou, Blanc d’Aunis, to naturally ferment and then mature Sherry, respectively. Gros Pineau, Ronchalin (France) and on lees and skin for 10 months before Steen (South Africa). The global area VITICULTURE assembling for bottling. No fining agents was 35,164ha in 2010, down 23% Budburst is early and maturity are used and the wine is minimally since 2000, with most of the decrease is mid-season. Vigour is high with filtered. This wine has a great line of outside of France. South Africa has the semi-erect growth habit. Bunches are largest area (53% of global), followed by acidity and complexity in both bouquet medium, well-filled to compact with and palate. It will happily cellar for at France (28%) and USA (9%). small berries. Yield is high. Spur pruning least 10 years in which it will develop In South Africa, it is grown in every is used in Australia. It is susceptible to region and used for many wine types. great artefact characters. oidium (powdery mildew) but more High quality table wines from old bush tolerant of downy mildew. Bunches are The Silverleaf Chenin is an easy vines are well regarded. In France, drinking style of wine and we are very susceptible to bunch rot. There are Chenin Blanc is mainly grown in the at least 12 clones available in Australia, looking for Red Delicious apple and ripe central Loire Valley where it produces approximately half of which are pear characters. So, generally this is the a wide range of styles. It is the base local selections. last pick of the Chenin Blanc. We of many sparkling wines; for example, machine harvest early in the morning. Cremant de Loire and others from WINE The fruit is pressed, cold settled and Saumur and Vouvray. It is also used Chenin Blanc is a very versatile for late-picked sweet wines. Chenin is inoculated for a cool ferment to retain variety used for many wine styles rare in the rest of France except in the from sparkling to fortified. Its high freshness and the delicate aromatics. south in Limoux (Languedoc) where it natural acidity is said to confer good This is generally bottled in July-August is a required component (20 to 40%) of ageing potential. Very often it is used for release onto the market. So, from a the blend for Cremant de Limoux (with as a workhorse variety, producing winery and business perspective this is a Chardonnay, Mauzac Blanc and relatively neutral wines for blended nice product to make. Like all Chenin Pinot Noir). commercial styles. However, at its best, Blancs it does have a good shelf life and, California had 2923ha in 2010 (more as a dry table wine, it can be crisp and than halved since 2000), mainly in flavoursome when young and complex although not specifically made to age the central valley counties of Fresno, with age. Descriptors include herbal, like our St Johns Chenin Blanc, it does Madera and Kern. Higher quality wines floral, green apple, melon and tropical not lose its appeal like a Sauvignon are produced from lower yielding fruit; and with age, almond, marzipan Blanc blend does after 18 months. We vineyards in northern California. South and honey. sell this product predominately in Western Australia as the market knows For further information on this and other emerging varieties, contact Marcel this style. We just need the rest of Essling at the AWRI ([email protected] or 08 8313 6600) to arrange the Australia to realise how good Chenin presentation of the Alternative Varieties Research to Practice program in your region. Blancs can be! WVJ V35N1 INE & VITICULTURE JOURNAL SUMMER 2020 www.winetitles.com.au 61