Tasting MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc

Name: Man Vintners

Variety: Chenin Blanc

Region: Coastal Region
Country: South Africa

Year: 2012

Price: $9.99

The Man Vintners Review: Grape growing in our area is not for wimps.  Thers is little rain, so you have to be in tune with your vineyards.  But this is grape growing heaven for generations of our farmers.  There are not fat, lazy, bloated grapes here—a little work on the wine makes for bold, concentrated flavor; our old shale soils provide minerality and complexity.  At MAN, we are particularly passionate about Chenin Blanc.  We try to let the uniqueness of our terroir show through this wine has a unique delicious tangy character that goes well with a wide range of foods and makes for an excellent aperitif.  It has bold tropical fruit and melon aromas, with crisp citrus and tropical fruit flavors and just a hint of sweetness. Serve chilled. 

My Review: This wine does not smell of fresh fruit, but rather rotten and spoiled fruit peels that have been thrown in the dirt.  The smell is a little offensive and pungent.  I tend to like the smell of rotten fruit in wines, but this one smells like the minerals from the ground have already started to break it down and I think my instincts are warning me that this is going to be poisonous.  This wine is mostly dry but does have a hint of sweetness when I lick my lips.  It does not taste nearly as strong as it smells.  The taste is more green, like the insides of broccoli stems that have been soaked in fruit juice.  I like the taste a lot more than I thought I would based off the smell.