December 20, 2019

VALDUBÓN Reserva Vino Tinto 2014

(Ribera del Duero, Spain) $31

Earthy, soft, and mouthfilling, with delicious notes of vanilla and cherries. Utterly easy to drink.

88 points KM

Available at Solano Cellars

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.

“One of the interesting things about viticulture is that everybody needs each other. There’s great respect among vintners and winemakers. At this point in history, the wine industry is a unique culture.”

—Bill Harlan
Harlan Estate, Napa Valley

VALDUBÓN Reserva Vino Tinto 2014

Get WineSpeed