Chenin Blanc - History

History

The French ampelographer Pierre Galet has theorized that Chenin blanc originated in the Anjou wine region sometime in the 9th century and from there traveled to Touraine by at least the 15th century. It was first mentioned in 845 the records of the abbey of Glanfeuil as growing on the left bank of the Loire river. Chenin Blanc probably originated as a mutant of the Pineau d'Aunis (Chenin Noir) in Anjou. In 1445 it was planted in near a site known as Mont Chenin in Touraine by the Lord of Chenonceaux and his brother in law, the abbot of Cormery. Ampelographers believe that this is the likely origin of the grape's name. It then migrated throughout the Loire valley and later the Rhône. The French writer François Rabelais (1494–1553) wrote glowingly about the white wines of Anjou, and mentions the medicinal qualities of the grapes at the end of chapter XXV of Gargantua:

This done, the shepherds and shepherdesses made merry with these cakes and fine grapes, and sported themselves together at the sound of the pretty small pipe, scoffing and laughing at those vainglorious cake-bakers, who had that day met with a mischief for want of crossing themselves with a good hand in the morning. Nor did they forget to apply to Forgier's leg some fat chenin grapes, and so handsomely dressed it and bound it up that he was quickly cured.

From France the grape spread to South Africa where it was most likely included among the vine cuttings sent to Jan van Riebeeck in the Cape Colony by the Dutch East India Company. In the 20th century it was discovered that a sub-variety of Chenin planted in the Loire was not actually Chenin blanc at all but rather the grape Verdelho, which is banned from French AOC regulations in the Loire. In 1999, DNA profiling conducted by ampelographers in Austria suggested that Chenin blanc may be a parent of Sauvignon blanc.