July 26, 2019

BIANCAVIGNA Brut 2018

(Veneto, Italy) $18

Crisp and limey with touches of spice. Balanced and long.

Which of the following is not associated with Chenin Blanc?

A. A wine from Vouvray

B. A grape once used extensively in California jug wines

C. A common grape variety planted in South Africa

D. A grape variety historically grown in Sancerre

Chenin Blanc is highly regarded in France and especially in the Loire Valley, but it’s not the grape variety that makes Sancerre. (That would be Sauvignon Blanc.) Elegant and long-lived, Chenin Blanc is the grape that makes the Loire Valley appellations Vouvray and Savennières. It’s also grown throughout the Western Cape of South Africa where it can make stellar wines, especially from old vines. In the past, Chenin Blanc in the U.S. has often been grown at high yields and used for generic jug wines.

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BIANCAVIGNA Brut 2018

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