Drink Chenin Day: Ken Forrester 2019 The FMC Chenin Blanc Premium South African Wine Review

International Drink Chenin Blanc Day was started in the USA by a group of American retailers and sommeliers in 2012 across 10 cities. The South African Chenin Blanc Association joined the campaign in 2016 and is now spearheaded by this association. Drink Chenin is now celebrated on June 18 of each year.

Chenin is believed to have originated in the Loire region in the 9th century. However, South Africa grows more Chenin than any other country, in part because South African brandy is made largely with the Chenin Blanc.

FMC is the flagship Chenin Blanc produced by Ken Forrester. Officially, it stands for Forrester and (Martin) Meinert Chenin, the winemaker involved in this project with Ken. Off the record, it is believed to actually or colloquially stand for F***ing Magic Chenin.

FMC is made with 100% Chenin Blanc grapes, which are hand-harvested primarily from old bush vines planted in 1974. The wine is fermented in French oak barrels (50% new) and aged for 12 months in the barrel sur lie. The first few vintage of FMC (1997-1999) were unsuccessful, largely because they over manipulated the wine. Distraught, they decided to let the wine express itself naturally and that is when they got successful results.

Ken Forrester was one of the founding members of the Chenin Blanc Association and the current chairperson. The association was formed with the purpose of ensuring that South African Chenin Blanc takes its rightful place with the other great white wines of the world.

Wine Spectator rating this wine 93 pts and it is available at B.C. Liquor Stores for $65.99 + tax

For more information about this winery, see their website at https://kenforresterwines.com/