Indaba Chenin Blanc

Indaba Chenin Blanc is a Massachusetts-made white wine from the Esplanda label, listed in the white blend category. The details we have don't name a vintage, an oak regimen, a residual sugar level or an ABV, so the notes below describe what Chenin Blanc usually offers and what to expect, not a measured profile of this bottle. Chenin Blanc is one of the most flexible white grapes, and its hallmark is high natural acidity. Styles like this usually show orchard and stone fruit such as ripe pear, yellow apple and quince, with citrus-peel brightness and a honeyed or waxy note that gives the wine a rounder feel. Expect a light-to-medium body, with the acidity keeping the palate lively and the finish clean and moderately long. Tannin is not a factor in a white wine like this. Since the bottle is labeled a blend, other white varieties may be in the mix, so check the back label for the exact composition and for how dry or off-dry it runs. Cool-climate New England fruit tends to favor crisp, fresh-leaning wines over heavy, buttery ones. The acidity makes this an easy match for food. Shellfish, steamed clams, baked haddock and seared scallops suit it well, as does anything built around lemon and butter. Fresh goat cheese, soft-rind cheeses and salads with a sharp vinaigrette work because the wine's acidity can match the dressing. If the bottle leans slightly off-dry, as Chenin often does, it also handles mildly spiced dishes such as Thai or Indian curries, pork with apples, and roast chicken with herbs. Serve it chilled, at about 45 to 50°F. A couple of hours in the refrigerator, or 30 minutes in an ice bucket, is about right. Colder than that mutes the fruit, and warmer makes the wine feel loose. It doesn't need decanting. Pour it straight from the bottle into a standard white wine glass with a moderate bowl, which concentrates the aromas without letting the wine warm too fast. Most wines at this level are made for the near term, so treat it as a drink-now bottle and plan to open it within a year or two of purchase for the freshest fruit, unless the producer's label suggests otherwise.