Rustenberg Chenin Blanc Review
Chenin Blanc is one of my favorite white wine grapes. This particular bottle would be perfect for anyone who is new to the grape and looking to branch out from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Wine review by: Jessyca Frederick |


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About this Wine
Wine: 2021 Rustenberg Chenin Blanc
Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: Stellenbosch, South Africa
I consumed it: September 2022
My source: The Premier Series by International Wine of the Month Club
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Region: South Africa
Wine color/style: White wine
Grape variety or blend: Chenin blanc
Tasting notes: Bright, Apple, Peach, Floral, Slightly sweet
Other characteristics: Food friendly
Rustenberg Chenin Blanc: What I think
Chenin Blanc is one of my favorite white wine grapes. This grape — not related to Sauvignon Blanc — is famously grown in the Loire Valley in France, but more than half of the world’s Chenin Blanc under cultivation is in South Africa. You’ll also find it tucked into vineyards all over the “new world.” Its characteristic flavors include apple, peach, honey, honeysuckle, and jasmine. It’s typically a bright (medium-plus to high acidity) wine, balanced by a touch of sweetness.
This particular Chenin Blanc would be perfect for anyone who is new to the grape. Its floral and fruity characteristics are more subdued than others I’ve had (particularly those from California) and it’s still very food friendly. To review wine clubs I need to drink wines when they arrive, but I’d like to have revisited this wine in a couple of years to see how it’s aging in the bottle.
Notice: I hold no formal wine credentials. I am a wine geek who has consumed 1000+ of bottles from 100+ different wine clubs and 1000s more bottles that didn’t come from those wine clubs. I do not accept payment for wine reviews, and I do not accept payments to influence my opinions. I happily accept free wine (and I buy wine).
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