WineBuddChenin Blanc tasting notes: a worked example
See what a structured Chenin Blanc tasting note looks like, line by line, then fill in the blank sheet for the bottle in your glass.
A Chenin Blanc tasting note, line by line
This is a worked example of how a note can read for the typical style of the grape. It is not a review of one bottle. Your wine will differ, so write what you find.
| Line of the note | What a typical Chenin Blanc note says |
|---|---|
| Appearance Colour and depth | Write what you see. Wine Folly says the colour of Chenin Blanc depends on the style, so no guide can fill this line in for you. |
| Nose Fruit | Quince, apple or apple skin, and pear. Cool-fermented wines can smell of pear drops. Fuller dry wines lean to peach. |
| Nose Other | Floral and honeyed notes, and dried chamomile. Later-picked or noble-rot grapes can add ripe pineapple, orange peel, honey and barley sugar. |
| Palate Sweetness | Anywhere from bone dry to lusciously sweet. Decide which you have before you rate anything else. |
| Palate Acidity | High, in every style. Wine Folly calls it zingy. |
| Palate Tannin | None. |
| Palate Body | Medium-light as a typical guide. Styles run from light to rich and creamy. |
| Palate Alcohol | Usually 11.5 to 13.5% ABV. Check the label. |
| Conclusions Where it is from | The Loire Valley in France is its birthplace. Most of the world's Chenin Blanc is planted in South Africa, where it is called Steen, with about 30% in France. |
The same note in two sentences
Dry, with high acidity and a medium-light body. Quince and yellow apple on the nose, with a little honey. Zingy and fresh.
What to look for
- Chenin Blanc covers sparkling, dry, oaked and sweet wines. Settle the style and the sweetness first, because the rest of the note follows from them.
- High acidity is the constant. Wine Folly says you will find it no matter the style, so use it to anchor your note.
- Quince, apple and honey are the classic markers. Look for them before the finer notes.
Now write your own
Fill this in for the bottle in front of you. It saves on your device only. Nothing is sent to us.
Questions
What does Chenin Blanc taste like?
Typically quince, apple and pear, with honey and floral notes and zingy acidity. Later-picked and sweet styles add pineapple, orange peel and honey.
Is Chenin Blanc dry or sweet?
It can be either. Wine Folly says wines range from bone dry to lusciously sweet, so check the label and taste for sweetness before you rate it.
How do I write a Chenin Blanc tasting note?
Work in the same order every time: look, nose, palate, then your conclusions. Name the fruit, then rate sweetness, acidity and body. The blank sheet on this page follows that order.
Sources
The typical aromas, structure and regions above come from these grape guides.