Chenin Blanc (or often simply Chenin) is a widely grown wine grape variety. It is used to make white wines in a number of styles with or without some residual sugar. In the U.S. the grape often ends up in the jug wines of bulk producers as acidity enhancer for otherwise high sugar/alcohol blends.
The finest Chenin wines have generally come from the Loire Valley region of France, where the region's versatility is exploited to great effect. The sweet wines made in exceptional years from botrytized vines are among the longest-lasting of all wines, and the great dry white wines of the region are again often listed among France's finest whites.
