Full Review

Darling Cellars

Darling Cellars
2024 Arum Fields Reserve, Chenin Blanc, Darling

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Pasta

Category: Chenin Blanc

Date Tasted:
Country: South Africa
Alcohol: 12.5% RS: .35%
91 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$16
Best Buy

Darling Cellars
2024 Arum Fields Reserve, Chenin Blanc, Darling

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Pasta

Category: Chenin Blanc

Date Tasted:
Country: South Africa
Alcohol: 12.5% RS: .35%
Golden straw color. Aromas and flavors of yellow apple, Bartlett pear skin, gooseberry, and lemon grass with a velvety, lively, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, charming, long finish displaying overtones of yellow and green apple, lanolin and lemon oil, herb oil, and melon and white flowers. Nice complexity with spot on South African typicity for Chenin Blanc; lovely ripe orchard fruit with good acidity and traditional weight to the body.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Spicy & Complex
Aroma Aroma: yellow apple, Bartlett pear skin, gooseberry, and lemon grass
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with overtones of yellow and green apple, lanolin and lemon oil, herb oil, and melon and white flowers
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: BBQ Chicken, Pad Thai Chicken, Chicken Fajitas
Bottom Line Bottom Line: Nice complexity with spot on South African typicity for Chenin Blanc; lovely ripe orchard fruit with good acidity and traditional weight to the body.

The Producer

HipSa L.L.C

The Producer

Chenin Blanc

Wine Glass White.jpg
Serve in a White Wine Glass
Chenin Blanc is a white wine made in numerous styles; the most famous examples are from France's Loire Valley, while there are also some notable versions from South Africa and California.

Chenin Blanc has very high acidity and is often produced in an off-dry style called demi-sec. A dry style from the Loire is called Savennières. There are also sparking versions of Chenin Blanc, namely Crémant de Loire also known as Saumur.

Dry versions are made by a few artisan estates in California, although a typical inexpensive California version is off-dry or lightly sweet. Steel aged with appealing citrus fruit, these wines should be drunk young and pair well with simple salads.