Ken Forrester Reserve Chenin Blanc

Ken Forrester Reserve Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch, South Africa stands out for its certified Heritage Vineyard designation under the Old Vine Project, a mark that signals fruit from vines old enough to express the depth and mineral complexity that younger plantings cannot. This is full-bodied Chenin Blanc from one of the Cape's most respected producers, farmed without herbicides or pesticides and bottled with the kind of lees contact that builds texture without obscuring varietal character. For Lincoln Park wine drinkers looking past the familiar Loire expressions of this grape, Ken Forrester's approach offers a riper, more golden take on Chenin that still honors the variety's capacity for structure and age. Ken Forrester has spent decades working with old-vine Chenin Blanc in Stellenbosch, and the Reserve bottling draws from some of the estate's most historic parcels. Every aspect of farming here is done by hand—tillage, pruning, harvest—an investment that makes sense only when the goal is to preserve vine health and fruit integrity across generations. The winemaking leans on extended lees contact to build honeycomb and caramel notes without relying on new oak, allowing the fruit's natural mineral backbone to remain legible. The result is a wine that balances richness with freshness, a trait that comes from both the site and the restraint applied in the cellar. Expect aromas of ripe melon and spiced baked apple, followed by a palate layered with stone fruit, vanilla, and a thread of savory minerality that keeps the wine from feeling heavy. The texture is plush but not flabby, with enough acidity to hold the weight. This is a Chenin that can handle bold, spicy food—think Thai green curry, Sichuan peppercorn dishes, roast pork with fennel—while maintaining elegance and drinkability. It also works beautifully with cheese plates built around aged Gouda or Comté, where the wine's caramel tones find a natural echo in the nutty, crystalline flavors of the cheese. Ken Forrester Reserve Chenin Blanc is available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, for local Chicago delivery, or via nationwide shipping.