The youngest of chef Rick Stein’s three boys, Charlie was born in Padstow and now splits his time between London and Cornwall. Charlie has personally chosen every bottle on the Rick Stein restaurant wine lists and in the online shop, with the help of connections made during his travels. He is also a director for the Rick Stein business, and has appeared on TV, including the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, and co-hosting, with brother Jack, the TV series Wine, Dine & Stein, which aired in South Africa.
Chenin Blanc hates to be pigeonholed. It’s arguably the world’s most versatile grape variety, appearing in an impressive range of styles – bone-dry, off-dry, oaked, slightly sweet, sweet and sparkling. As such it’s a grape that I urge readers to experiment with. My early experience with this grape was limited to wines from the Loire valley. I was brought up eating classic French seafood, paired with intense and zingy Chenin Blancs from Savennières and Vouvray, and for many years I thought the Loire had a monopoly on the best examples of the grape.
Moment of truth
Fast-forward to a few years ago, and everything changed for me. I was sitting overlooking the Polkadraai hills with two of South Africa’s best winemakers – Lukas Van Loggerenberg and Reenen Borman – tasting Lukas’ latest release of old-vine Chenin Blanc. It was here that I had my epiphany, realising that South African Chenin Blanc can easily hold its own with those from the French Loire. Now,
