Protea Coastal Region Chenin Blanc 2022

As any serious wine drinker knows, one can’t drink a label, nor should one purchase wine based on the attractiveness of a label. With that said, the label on Protea’s 2022 Chenin Blanc certainly caught our attention for its beauty. Moreover, it made a fine introduction to Protea’s pure, simply beautiful Chenin Blanc. The 2022 Protea Chenin Blanc offers a fresh, in your face, fruit driven nose, which made us want to dive right in. A delightful mélange of apricot, nectarine, and quince immediately greet the nose. In the mouth, the wine’s aromatic fruit flavors re-emerge with added touches of grapefruit and lime. A hint of dried honey lends texture to the wine’s succulent fruit, while vibrant acidity makes this dry Chenin Blanc dazzle straight through to the finish. So refreshing and fun to drink, we found it hard to put this wine down. Enjoy the 2022 Protea Chenin Blanc now and often with a moderate chill (40°-45° F). Anticipated maturity: 2023-2026.

All the 2022 Protea Chenin Blanc needs to shine is a clean glass. Protea’s Chenin Blanc is a wine to enjoy year-round, with or without food. Yet, we suggest you also pair it with fish, shellfish, pasta, poultry, and a host of Asian stir fries for an added treat. South Africa’s rich culinary history includes an exciting mélange of African, Asian and European influences along with a wealth of exotic spices, which lend themselves well to Chenin Blanc – a grape that responds beautifully to spicy foods. Hummus or a spicy Roasted Red Pepper Dip with carrot chips makes an excellent appetizer and a fine companion to Protea’s 2022 Chenin Blanc. Calamari Tempera, Thai Green Curry Chicken with vegetables, Grilled Halibut topped with mango salsa, and Scallops Wrapped in Bacon also provide particularly tasty accompaniments. Other winning companions to the 2022 Protea Chenin Blanc include Tandoori Chicken and Crispy Vietnamese Spring Rolls. Wonderful cheeses such as L’Amuse Brabander Goat Gouda, Brie, and Camembert also make splendid counterparts to Protea’s vivacious 2022 Chenin Blanc. Bon Appétit!

Protea emanates from the Anthonij Rupert Wyne estate in South Africa’s Coastal Region of the Western Cape. Founded by the late Anthonij Rupert on the 17th century L’Ormarins farm in beautiful Franschhoek, this ideally situated property was taken over by Anthonij’s brother Johann in 2003. With superb vineyard selections, a new state of the art winery, and a passion for fashioning a bevy of exciting white and red wines from South Africa’s premier grape varieties, Johann has brought this picturesque property to the forefront of South African wine producers.

Although award-winning brandy and white wines were fashioned at L’Ormarins farm long before the arrival of the Rupert brothers, it is the Anthonij Rupert Wyne red wines from French varietals that first captured international attention and thrust Anthonij Rupert Wyne into the top echelon of South African wine. Optima, a highly allocated blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec, remains the most renowned wine from this estate, though the winery’s single varietals are equally impressive under both the Anthonij Rupert Wyne and Protea labels.

Protea, the national flower of South Africa, is renowned for its beauty and diversity. In order to introduce the beauty of South Africa’s floral kingdom and its exceptional wines to a greater audience, Anthonij Rupert Wyne created Protea. The Protea brand highlights two of South Africa’s most important varietals, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. They also offer a fine dry rosé. Each is bottled in what may be the world’s simplest but most beautiful label in the form of latticed protea flowers, a fitting tribute to the beauty and diversity of the protea flower and the wine. Protea labels are printed from 100% recycled material to symbolize the estate’s environmentally friendly ethos and commitment to sustainable practices. Most importantly, the Protea Chenin Blanc (this month’s feature), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rosé capture the purity and quality that international wine drinkers have come to expect from Anthonij Rupert Wyne.

Chenin Blanc emanates from France’s Loire Valley, where it produces everything from spritely still and sparkling white wines to some of France’s most luscious and long-lived dessert wines. In cool climates such as France’s Anjou and Touraine regions, where weather conditions can vary enormously from vintage to vintage, the high-acid Chenin Blanc grape variety runs the gamut. Because of its natural acidity and ability to adapt to varying soils and climates, Chenin Blanc has traveled the world, much like its French counterparts Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Chenin Blanc has found its way to Australia, California and elsewhere, but nowhere is the illustrious Chenin Blanc variety more important than in South Africa, where it is known as Steen and has become South Africa’s most widely cultivated grape. In fact, South Africa may warrant the distinction of having received the first Chenin Blanc vines outside of France, as Chenin Blanc was brought to South Africa’s Western Cape as early as the 16th century by Dutch settlers or in the wave of 17th century French Huguenots who sought asylum from religious persecution in South Africa and settled around Franschhoek.