When I start talking about a random grape variety or region for no apparent reason (and yes, I’m aware I do that a lot) it’s a pretty sure bet that I’ve recently had my taste buds tickled. Last Thursday evening I produced a bottle of South African Chenin Blanc that made me think why don’t I drink this stuff more often?

The wines of South Africa, for which Chenin Blanc is the country’s flagship white grape variety, are oddly overlooked in Ireland. We don’t buy a lot of South African wine, despite the great value it has to offer. Okay, so there is usually a small enough range to choose from wherever you go, but that’s only because the demand isn’t there. Being a pivotal player in taking Chenin Blanc to the forefront of global recognition, we too often opt for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or an Italian Pinot Grigio instead. Chenin doesn’t seem to be a very fashionable variety here and I think our boycott of South African wines has hindered its yearning for appreciation.

So what are we missing? Chenin Blanc produces medium bodied wines of high acidity. In South Africa their crisp acidity complements clean citrus and tropical fruit flavours. Originally hailing from Loire Valley (France), Chenin of the Vouvray appellation is particularly highly regarded. Here the wines can be dry or off-dry, with some of the same citrus and tropical flavours abundant in the South African wines, but with a vegetal edge that can be attributed to the cooler climate. In the vintages when the grapes don’t fully ripen, the grapes can be used with pleasing results in the sparkling Crémant de Loire. In the hotter vintages, they can ripen enough to provide a honeyed sweetness, yet the wines retain a wonderful balance thanks to the naturally high acidity. Chenin is also susceptible to noble rot, so it makes some exceptional dessert wines.

By its nature, the Chenin Blanc vines can be quite vigorous if they go unchecked. They can produce high yields which ultimately leads to a fairly neutral and bland wine, and that’s why we do have some very cheap South African white in the supermarkets that are nothing to write home about. But for the best part, good quality can be and is achieved from lower yields and smart winemaking, and the final product doesn’t have to be expensive. Like Chardonnay and Riesling do so well, Chenin can express the unique characteristics of where it is grown, and if it is handled correctly in the vineyard – vines pruned, harvested at the right time with the necessary care – and in the winery, where the winemaker has to achieve balance and may even reach for the oak barrels, then you’ve got a very fine specimen on your hands.

The wine got me thinking of Chenin again was the Paarl Heights, recently recommended in the Irish Mail on Sunday. For the even more adventourous wine drinker, try the whites of Vouvray or Anjou. The better the vintage the better the wine. Generally speaking that is.

Just east of Tours we drove to the small town of Vouvray, where we ventured off the beaten track to visit more small producers and take in the incredible scene of endless vineyards. Here’s a short clip…

Vouvray AOC is a premium appellation for Chenin Blanc. The wines may be bone-dry (sec), delightfully off dry (demi-sec), medium, sweet or sparkling. Most are medium-bodied with high acidity, unoaked, with citrus, green tropical fruit notes (lemon, apple, pineapple), and some vegetal aromas (green leaf).

Vouvray has great terroir. Those from clay soil might lean towards a fruitier flavour, while those made on flinty clay soil may have more minerality. Typically drunk young, the best years of Vouvray have been known to produce wines that last up to 100 years in excellent condition, showing that when done well, Chenin Blanc has great aging potential.

The Vouvray wine cellar, or Cave des Producteurs des Grands Vins de Vouvray, was a very interesting visit. Formed over forty years ago, it’s a “common storage” for a large group of growers. A wine-tasting board decides which wines will be aged and the cellar has a capacity of 2 million bottles.

I was fortunate enough to try a number of lovely examples, including a very golden coloured Moelleux. The older versions in particular exuded quince, honey and almond with great all round complexity. And those sparkling Vouvrays just rock – yet another one to look out for.

So, to conclude ‘A week in Loire Valley’, without further delay and as promised, here is Curious Wines first tasting video from Loire Valley, via Bandon, to your living room (or wherever you are).

What did you expect, eh? Here’s our two stellar Vouvrays.

From the creator of Curryous Curries comes this exquisite Moroccan dish, which is perfect with our Vouvray Demi Sec. An easy dish to prepare (given a bit of time of course), it brings the aromas and flavours of this beautiful country right into your kitchen. Forget the restaurant, become the restaurant.

Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Serves 4

For the harissa paste:
1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 fresh red chillies, chopped (depending on preferred heat)
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tsp tomato purée
2 tsp ground caraway seeds
2 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
½ tsp salt

For the tagine:
olive oil, for frying
5cm / 2 in piece cinnamon stick
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
500g boneless lamb shoulder, cubed
1 pint stock (preferably lamb)
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp honey
2 courgettes, cut into bite-size chunks
2.5cm / 1 in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
100g ready-to-eat dried apricots, halved
250g couscous
2 lemons, juice and finely grated zest
a large bunch of fresh coriander (or mint), roughly chopped
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp flaked almonds

-  For the harissa paste, blend all the ingredients in a food processor, adding an extra tablespoon of olive oil or a tablespoon or two of water if necessary.
-  For the tagine, heat the olive oil in a tagine or large casserole dish until very hot and add the cinnamon stick, cook for 10 seconds to flavour the oil, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and the harissa paste and cook for 3 minutes.
-  Add the lamb and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the lamb pieces are browned on all sides.
-  Reduce to a low heat and add the stock, chopped tomatoes and the honey.  Cover with a lid and bring to the boil.  Simmer gently for 1 hour 15 minutes.
-  Add the courgettes, ginger and apricots and simmer for a further 20-30 minutes, or until the lamb and vegetables are meltingly tender and the sauce is thick.
-  Meanwhile, about 5-10 minutes before the end of simmering, cook the couscous according to the packet instructions, and mix thoroughly with half of the fresh coriander (or mint), the lemon juice and the zest.
-  When the stew is done, season to taste and remove the cinnamon stick, if preferred. Stir in the almonds and the remaining fresh coriander (or mint) and serve with the couscous and enjoy with a Vouvray Demi Sec.