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Land of Hope

1/6/2016

 
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It's South African Chenin Blanc, Jim, but not as we know it!

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I first bought this a few months ago as I was intrigued to see what could make a Chenin Blanc from South Africa worth £16 (from Marks and Spencer).
i was delighted to find it currently (end of May) on sale for half price! Yes, just £8 and any 6 bottles will get you a further 25% off. Perfect timing as I'm stocking up on interesting stuff for a tasting with friends.

So what makes it different?

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In a word, oak, or French oak in 2 words. Chenin Blanc from South Africa tends to the off dry. The candied, almost over-confected, styles of some of the low-end house whites in the cheaper pubs can struggle with pear drop flavour and not offer much else.
This one is full of peach, ripe orange melon and lemons, yet the oak gives it an altogether more toasty complexion. If you like oak on your Chardonnay, you'll enjoy this. Mr Purple Teeth guessed it was Chardonnay, in fact.
Where it differs from a Chardonnay is that it has a lot more vibrant fruit, at the price point. At £8, snap it up as a bargain. At £16, it's more of a stretch, but an interesting find. I also enjoyed a glass or two of this with another local wine blogger and merchant, on a previous Wine Wednesday. It's a decent drop for the current not so summer weather and paired well with cheese, charcuterie and also roast chicken pizza.
​Cheers!

PS, I'd love to hear what you're discovering and enjoying so feel free to drop me a line, or get in touch via Twitter or Facebook.


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    Purple Teeth

    My name's Heather and I've been enjoying wine for over 20 years. I'm the 2013 winner of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Rhone prize for oustanding students at the advanced level.
    My mission is to share my passion for the myriad varieties of fermented grape juice, hopefully inspiring you to try something new, or to host  a Purple Teeth wine party in your own home or business.

    My blog mainly features wines you should be able to find on your local high street or online, and occasionally, I will review restaurants, travel and other forms of alcohol, since my qualification covers spirits too.  I believe it's important to enjoy the calories and the cash we spend on alcohol, and I hope my guidance can help you reduce the risk of making a bad buy.
      
    When I'm not drinking wine, you'll find me on the dance floor where West Coast Swing is my dance of choice. Socialising with the friends I've made there from all over the world has also brought me new adventures in alcohol!  And just in case you're interested, I also write a blog called Confidence Within.  You'll find it at heatherharrison.weebly.com


    Remember to enjoy wine sensibly...
    For a woman, 2-3 units per day is the recommended maximum allowance.  This equates to around one standard "pub measure" glass of wine:
    175ml of 13% alcohol wine is 2.3 units (and a scary 140 calories).  
    You'll find all the facts you need about safe, moderate drinking at the www.Drinkaware.co.uk site. 
    Purple Teeth supports safe drinking. Never drive or operate machinery after drinking alcohol.

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