Bellingham The Maverick Winemaker Chenin Blanc, 2007, Coastal Region, South Africa  Add/Read Comments

No great debate in selecting a wine to accompany a Lentil and Bean Salad with a Chive Dressing - a Sauvignon Blanc would have been an obvious choice but I fancied something a little different. Thoughts of cress aromas sometimes discovered in Chenin's led the way to this little beaut from South Africa. With the food a great success.

Wine Tasting Note: Bellingham The Maverick Winemaker Chenin Blanc, 2007, Coastal Region, South Africa.
Available from Waitrose for £8.99.
One of the most perfectly balanced and gorgeous Chenin's it has ever been my pleasure to drink. Some lovely complex flavours going on in the full-bodied palate. 'Lavishly refined'. A creamy element combines with spicy, tropical fruit flavours and a long aftertaste. All good Chenin's have the capacity to age, this should do wonders with a little time in bottle. Alcohol 14.5%. (No cress! Very disappointing; but superb with the salad)
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]

To his friends and family, he was 'Pod', (Bernard Podlashuk, founder of Bellingham) but to the cape winelands he was the Maverick Winemaker. Never quite satisfied to be just ordinary, he is recognised for his daring version, sheer audacity and unabated drive that helped place South African wine on the map."

The previous vintage of Bellingham The Maverick Chenin Blanc 2006 was placed second in a recent Wine Magazine Chenin Blanc Challenge. Out of 122 wines only 34 went through to the second round and only 6 were chosen as finalists. The 2006 is still listed at Waitrose Wine Online.