Unlike the great travellers chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, chenin blanc has failed to gain much of a foothold outside its homeland, the central Loire Valley of France.

It's a high-acid grape that makes refreshingly crisp dry wines, and luscious sweeties when the bunches are affected by botrytis. In the Loire it's used for sweet, dry and sparkling wines, the most famous appellations being Vouvray, Anjou, Montlouis, Savennieres and Coteaux du Layon.

Chenin has been grown for a long time in Western Australia's Swan Valley, which produces some superb, age-worthy dry whites, but they are small volumes and not widely known. Now Margaret River is staking a strong claim to be the next big chenin blanc region.

LAS Vino CBDB Chenin Blanc 2020, Margaret River, $50-$55

Score 95

The colour is bright, light yellow and it has an intensely fruity aroma of grapefruit, lemon and beeswax, including a subtle note of honey. The wine is intense and medium-bodied, elegant and finely textured, with lovely balance and sense of completeness. It's all about the fruit; oak is almost invisible, although there is barrel fermentation involved. A superb dry chenin. 14 per cent alcohol; diam.

Ageing? Drink now to six years.

Stockists include Le Pont, South Melbourne (Vic); Different Drop, Sydney; Le Pont Milson's Point, Sydney (NSW)

Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Sec Cuvee de Silex 2019, Loire Valley, $39

Score 92

The colour is very light straw and it has a discreet but sweetly honeyed, floral nose with a hint of apple pie, the palate noticeably sweet, fruity and almost rich with a trace of leatherwood honey. Good intensity and freshness, long carry. It finishes refreshing and near-dry, surprisingly so after the sweetness of the mid-palate. 12.5 per cent alcohol; screw-cap.

Ageing? Drink now to eight years.

Stockists include Cloudwine (Vic); Candamber Cellars (ACT); Vintage Cellars (NSW)

Wines of Merritt Wilyabrup Chenin Blanc 2020, Margaret River, $40

Score 90

This single-vineyard wine was barrel-fermented in old oak. The colour is pale straw; the complex bouquet holds mineral and pawpaw aromas, a hint of wet-wool, while the palate has searingly high acidity and is crisp, lean and linear. The fruit weight is delicate and the acidity demands serving with food. The upside is tightness, refinement and length. 12.5 per cent alcohol; screw-cap.

Ageing? Drink now to five years.

Stockists include Prince Wine Store and Red Hill Wine Centre (Vic); Moncur Cellars, Woollahra Hotel (NSW); winesofmerritt.com.au