Chenin Blanc from Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa; medium bodied and dry with notes of green apple, cooked lemon, flan custard, and baked almond, with medium acidity, rounded edges, and a long, full finish. Sustainable

Unfiltered Wine Club, February 2026, 2024 vintage:

"Our next wine is made from my favorite white grape variety, Chenin Blanc. This gorgeous winter white hails from Paarl in South Africa’s Western Cape, a country that has become a modern reference point for Chenin Blanc (known locally as Steen). The Nice Beverage project is the work of two best friends from high school who set out to make minimal-intervention, expressive wines that reflect their shared love of the Cape’s old-vine heritage. The fruit comes from sustainably farmed vineyards rooted in granite and shale soils, where the Mediterranean climate allows Chenin to ripen fully while holding on to its natural acidity. The wine spends 10 months aging on its lees in a combination of stainless steel and old barrels, lending a beautifully rounded shape without feeling heavy. The palate opens with green apple and cooked lemon, and with some air, notes of flan custard and baked almond emerge. My favorite part of this wine is its creamy, medium-weight texture, which when coupled with its medium acidity, makes it especially suited to heartier cooking. Consider pairing it with butternut squash soup, chicken pot pie, fennel and potato gratin, Indian curry, creamy polenta, or a simple plate of roasted cauliflower with tahini and lemon. This one you’ll want to drink cool, not cold."