South of the James

A few years back, I sampled my first glass of Chenin Blanc at Downtown DC’s Chef Geoff’s during a business dinner. Ever since, I’ve been intrigued with this unheralded white wine because it is not readily found on most wine lists or in retail outlets. It’s basically a Left Coast underdog that does not originate in the ubiquitous Napa or Sonoma regions of California, with the grapes of this particular version grown in the Sacramento area.

When I dashed off to the store for one last NYE grocery run, I was pleasantly surprised to see some bottles of 2005 Dry Creek Vineyards Dry Chenin Blanc. I figured that it was worth trying, especially since the price was south of $10. Well, it was a good choice. This baby came in at 12.5% alcohol and 100% good taste. It had flavors touching on honeydew and little bit of pineapple.

Sadly, Chenin Blanc’s are not terribly popular in the US which is a shame since it’s a really versatile food partner (we did it with chicken & seafood), and it is pretty inexpensive in the range of $9-12 per bottle. The 2005 rated an 86 by Wine Enthusiast, keeping with the pattern of the last few years for this varietal, and the San Francisco Chronicle dedicated a weekly podcast to it as a “wine of the week” in August 2006.

With a great taste and great price what more can you ask for to end 2006?