Chenin blanc from Dowie Doole in mix of crisp whites from Riposte, Pewsey Vale, Zonte’s Footstep, Bremerton & Dalwood

A little-known, French-born white wine, bursting with fruit flavours like Granny Smith apples, guava and nashi pears, is thriving in Australia and winning new fans.

White for winter? Why not! Sample these chenin blancs for a seasonal change.

Unless you’ve been on the wagon for the past decade, it’s a fair bet you’re familiar with sauvignon blanc, particularly those grassy Marlborough types that have taken savvy to the top of Australia’s wine-selling charts.

But you may have not had the pleasure of dipping into a chenin blanc, a lesser-known French-born variety that’s rising in popularity among those who appreciate crisp and refreshing wines bursting with fruit flavours like Granny Smith apples, citrus, passionfruit, guava, nashi pears and melons.

If you haven’t yet jumped on the chenin train, here’s your chance, with a highly rated chenin from McLaren Vale included in The Australian Wine Club’s “anything but chardonnay” mixed-dozen deal this week.

The Dowie Doole Estate Chenin Blanc is part of an expansive mix of six whites: a legendary Eden Valley riesling, a 96-point Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc, a classic Hunter Valley Semillon, a nicely weighted viognier and a thirst-punching verdelho. All quite excellent for a spot of lunch on a sunny winter’s day. (We can’t just drink red from May to September, surely!)

But back to the chenin – a native of the Loire Valley, where the grape’s high acidity makes it an easy choice for sparkling wines.

In Australia, winemakers like Dowie Doole’s Chris Thomas have perfected a more fruit-driven style, weaving a spectrum of flavours around a citrus backbone of natural acid.

“It’s the alternative blanc,’’ Chris says. “More crisp citrus, tropical flavours rather than those grassy notes you have in sauvignon blanc.

“The thing I love about chenin is you can also keep in the cellar for 20 years and it will come out with these lovely honeydew melon and rockmelon characters, with that lemon sherbet acid line still intact – it’s a grape that rewards patience.”

Dowie Doole sources its chenin from what is believed to be Australia’s oldest chenin blanc vineyard, planted in 1933 on the cool slopes of McLaren Vale’s Blewitt Springs.

This historic treasure was there at the start of Dowie Doole’s beginnings, when founders Drew Dowie and Norm Doole brought together vineyards located in two of McLaren Vale’s most prized terroirs: the sandy soils of Blewitt Springs and the ancient rocks of Tatachilla, which boasts geology going back 650 million years.

After a thrilling 10-year run, the founders gave Chris and key staff the chance to buy the operation in 2015 – an opportunity too good to be missed. If you happen to venture through The Vale, check out the Dowie Doole tasting pod: a ripping cellar door pit stop fashioned from three ship containers and a dollop of good old-fashioned ingenuity.

In the meantime, add some cool whites to your winter wardrobe.

Dowie Doole Estate C Blanc McLaren Vale Chenin Blanc 2020

Chenin in style: the crunch of Granny Smith apples and guava, muddled with mint and a melody of citrus flavours, with lanolin and dried pistachio notes adding complexity. Chenin’s classic sherbet acid line is there giving great length. After fermentation the wine was aged on lees. Superb value. 12.8% alc; RRP $25 a bottle.

SPECIALS $21.25 a bottle in any dozen; $17.49 in special whites dozen

Riposte The Foil Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Another field-leading sauvignon blanc from Adelaide Hills legend Tim Knappstein. Signature aromatics of snow pea, cut grass, gooseberry and passionfruit. The Foil also features a lovely texture, combining elegance and intensity of fruit with pure refreshment. Gold and 96pts from the Adelaide Hills Wine Show. 12.5% alc; RRP $24 a bottle.

SPECIALS $20.40 a bottle in any dozen; $17.49 in special whites dozen

Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2018

Pewsey Vale is part of Australia’s wine heritage, being the first vineyard planted in South Australia’s Eden Valley in 1847. Today, winemaker Louise Rose creates some of Australia’s most celebrated rieslings from this high-altitude site. Classic Eden Valley lime characters and lemon peel flow through the 2018, with just a hint of spice and rosemary adding complexity after three years in the bottle. 93 points from Halliday. 12% alc; RRP $26 a bottle.

SPECIALS $22.99 a bottle in any dozen; $17.49 in special whites dozen

Zonte’s Footstep Lady of the Lake Fleurieu Viognier 2020

Gold-medal-winning viognier. Aromas of honeysuckle, pear and ginger lead to a textured palate, where a chorus of apricot, orange peel and citrus flavours combine with spice and vanilla bean notes humming in harmony. Matured in new and seasoned French barrels. Winemaker Brad Rey deftly balances the fruit with acidity to keep the whole package in check. Gold medal: China Wine and Spirits Awards Best Value 2021. 13.5% alc; RRP $30 a bottle.

SPECIALS $21.99 a bottle in any dozen; $17.49 in special whites dozen

Bremerton Mollie & Merle Langhorne Creek Verdelho 2019

 

Red-star for exceptional value from our club president James Halliday. Nashi pears, clean citrus and tropical flavours spill from the glass. A straight spine of natural acidity means this wine knocks on the door selling pure refreshment. Another example of the unheralded value of Langhorne Creek. 12.5% alc; RRP $18.

SPECIALS $18 a bottle in any dozen; $17.49 in special whites dozen

Dalwood Estate Hunter Valley Semillon 2020

From the Hunter’s historic Dalwood Estate, the longest-running commercial vineyard in Australia. Typical clean and crisp Hunter semillon; lemongrass and lemon pith aromas and citrus flavours. Low alcohol adds up to a lunchtime special. 92 points at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show. 10.5% alc; RRP $27.

SPECIALS $21.99 a bottle in any dozen; $17.49 in special whites dozen

WHITES DOZEN DEAL Two bottles of each wine for $17.49 a bottle

Order online or telephone [phone] Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine.