Tonight we have two Chenin Blanc-Viognier white blends. We have talked about both of these varieties before.

Both of these wines are about 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% is Viognier. This is a typical blend because Chenin Blanc is bright and acidic and Viognier is fuller-bodied with a hint of sweetness (eventhough it is a dry wine).

Chenin Blanc is a very versatile grape that can be made into late harvest sweet dessert wines, dry white wines, sparkling wines, and oaked or unoaked wines.

While versatility could be a good thing, it may actually be a bad thing because people don’t always know what the wine is going to be like when they get a Chenin Blanc.

We have also talked about Viognier before. Viognier in France comes mostly from the Rhone Valley. Outside of France it can be found in North and South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

It has some similarities to Chardonnay because it can make a full-bodied white wine. It requires a long growing season to develop, and is known for having lower yields. Viognier has flavors of tangerine, mango, honeysuckle, rose, and peach. Serve slightly chilled from 45 to 55 degrees. Pair with white meats or fish, especially if they are nut encrusted.

Tonight, we are tasting:

1. 2024 Mbali Chenin Blanc-Viognier. I purchased this at Trader Joe’s for $5.99. It is made up of 79% Chenin Blanc and 21% Viognier. The Reverse Wine Snob says it has bright fruit guava, melon, lychee, and honeyed tangerine. Mbali is the Zulu word for flower. The Cheap Wine Finder says this is a wine to buy multiple bottles of. I like his line “keep it cheap”. The wine is unoaked and has 13.5% alcohol.
2. 2024 Pine Ridge Vineyards Chenin Blanc-Viognier. I purchased this at Trader Joe’s for $13.99. It is made up of 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Viognier. It’s vegan friendly, gluten free, no pesticides, lower alcohol, and has less than 1 gram of sugar per glass. They use a lighter bottle which is better for the environment. Pairs with light salads, seafood, and foods with a bit of spiciness. Great pair with appetizers. Aromas of Kiwi, melon, key lime zest, white flowers, honeysuckle, and jasmine. Flavors of Lychee, orange blossom, peach, citrus, crisp acidity. Clean and bright with no oak and no malolactic fermentation. Fruit comes from Clarksburg, CA. Was voted the #27 Best Buy by the Wine Spectator.

We loved the Pine Ridge and scored it a 4. The Mbali was also good and we both gave it a 3.

Next week, we are having a Mystery Show. Can we tell what we are drinking. Most importantly, we will go through the reasoning for our guess.