Outside the Loire, it is found in most of the New World wine regions; it is the most widely planted variety in South Africa, where it was historically also known as Steen (locally /stɪərn/ STEERN).

[1] The grape may have been one of the first to be grown in South Africa by Jan van Riebeeck in 1655,[2] or it may have come to that country with Huguenots fleeing France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685.

In the best vintages, the grapes can be left on the vines to develop noble rot, producing an intense, viscous dessert wine, which may improve considerably with age.

[5] The grape may have been the variety described in two royal land grants of Charles the Bald in 845 detailed in the records of the abbey of Glanfeuil as growing on the left bank of the Loire River in vineyards belonging to individuals with the name of Soulangé and Bessé.

[6] French writer François Rabelais (1494–1553) wrote glowingly about the white wines of Anjou, and mentions the medicinal qualities of the grapes at the end of chapter XXV of Gargantua: This done, the shepherds and shepherdesses made merry with these cakes and fine grapes, and sported themselves together at the sound of the pretty small pipe, scoffing and laughing at those vainglorious cake-bakers, who had that day met with a mischief for want of crossing themselves with a good hand in the morning.

Nor did they forget to apply to Forgier's leg some fat chenin grapes, and so handsomely dressed it and bound it up that he was quickly cured.

[7]From France, the grape spread to South Africa, where it was most likely included among the vine cuttings sent to Jan van Riebeeck in the Cape Colony by the Dutch East India Company.

[6] However, in warm years, the balance between the Loire's marginal climate and the warmth needed to attain full ripeness has the potential of producing wines with some depth of complexity and finesse.

When infected by noble rot, which also lowers yields and adds and intensifies certain flavors, the wines develop less overtly floral aroma notes, but more depth and layers.

[6] Heavy clay-based soils, paired with the right climate, are favorable to the development of weighty, botrytized dessert wines that need time to age and mature.

[4] Among the viticultural hazards to which Chenin is susceptible (apart from botrytis in less than ideal conditions) are damage from spring frost, powdery mildew, and fungal disease (such as dead arm of grapevine) that affect the wood structures of the grape vine.

When the grape is harvested at high yields, such as the California Central Valley average of 10 tons per acre (175 hl/ha), Chenin's flavors become more bland and neutral.

[4] With optimal ripeness and balance between acidity and sugars being such a viticultural priority for Chenin blanc, many growers (such as those in the Loire Valley) harvest the grapes in "tries" or successive pickings through the vineyards.

During each series of picking, only the ripest clusters or individual grapes are harvested by hand during a period that could last four to six weeks and include three to six passes through the vineyard.

While Chenin blanc still accounts for around 1.2% of all French plantings, these numbers are a significant drop from the 16,594 hectares (41,000 acres) of grapevines that were in cultivation in 1958.

During this time, the Bordeaux wine region of Sauternes had experienced a series of favorable vintages that gave a dramatic increase in prices as supply began to dwindle in face of high demand.

The 1990s brought a string of successful vintages to the Middle Loire that produced many highly rated Chenin wines affected by noble rot.

In the AOC of Savennières, less fog and mist from the nearby rivers occur and more wind that makes botrytis taking root more difficult.

In the south of France, the warm Mediterranean climate of the Languedoc region encourages the production of many more dry styles of Chenin blanc rather than sweet.

The high acidity of Chenin blanc lends itself well to sparkling-wine production, where it is an important component of Crémant de Loire, sparkling Vouvray, and in the Languedoc wine region of Limoux.

[6] The variety was most likely introduced to the country in the collection of cuttings sent to Jan van Riebeeck by the Dutch East India Company.

Wine expert James Halliday describes the style of Australia Chenin blanc as "tutti-frutti" with pronounced fruit salad notes.

This is because Old World wine producers tend not to put a premium on the tropical fruit flavors and aromas that come out more vividly with cooler fermentation temperatures.

Chenin blanc can accommodate some skin contact and maceration, which will allow extraction of phenolic compounds that could add to the complexity of the wine.

The grape's characteristic acidity can be softened by malolactic fermentation, which gives the wine a creamier or "fattier" texture, as would a period spent aging on the lees.

Chenin wines produced from noble rot will often have notes of peaches and honey that develop into barley sugar, marzipan, and quince as they age.

Dry or semisweet Chenin blanc from the Loire will often have notes apple, greengage, and chalky minerals that develop into more honey, acacia, and quince aromas.

New World styles of Chenin, such as those of South Africa, are more often made to be consume young and exhibit rich tropical fruit notes such as banana, guava, pear, and pineapple.

[4] The aging ability of sweet Loire Chenin blanc is among the longest-lived in the world of wine, with well-made examples from favorable vintages regularly having the potential to last for at least 100 years.

Sparkling and dry examples of Chenin blanc from premium production and favorable vintages have also shown longevity levels not commonly associated with white wine.