2009 Fairvalley Chenin Blanc

Fresh and fruity, this Chenin Blanc is delicious with fresh fruit and cheese.

The Fairvalley Workers Association, founded in 1997, was set up by the employees of Fairview Wine and Cheese Estate in order to develop and manage their own property. Initial funding, which went to purchase a 38 acre farm adjacent to Fairview, was provided equally by Charles Back, owner of Fairview, and the South African government. Subsequent funding for the development of homes and eventual construction of a wine cellar is being arranged through commercial activities. Cellar facilities at Fairview have been provided for Fairvalley's winemaker, Awie Adolf, to make wine. His first vintage, a 1998 Chenin Blanc, was enthusiastically snapped up by one of the UK 's high profile wine retailers. Their first vintage of red wine was a 2001 Pinotage. In 2003, the range was extended to include Sauvignon Blanc, with the subsequent addition of Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon. They intend to develop the range over the next few years, using the cellar and bottling facilities at Fairview.

Though South Africa is making a splash on the world stage with plenty of other note-worthy varietals, it's probably best known for Chenin Blanc (white) and Pinotage (red). Chenin Blanc is a fascinating grape; like Riesling, it's high in both acid and sugar, which gives a winemaker incredible flexibility to produce anything from a bone-dry wine to a sweet dessert wine to a fragrant sparkling wine. In South Africa, Chenin Blanc is sometimes known as "Steen." This value version from Fairvalley captures the fresh and lively fruitiness of Chenin Blanc. It's a great introduction to the varietal's signature honey, honeydew melon and cantelope flavors with crisp minerality to back it up. GR

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2007 vintage: Wine Spectator 85 points ‘Show a mix of plump melon fruit followed by a tangy lemon zest on the finish.”