A very versatile white grape variety: Richard Esling, June 29

Its native heartland, however, is the central Loire Valley, where it is considered as a premium quality variety and is capable of producing world-class wines. Often overlooked for the more fashionable sauvignon blanc, chenin has far greater versatility, making dry, medium-dry, sweet and sparkling wines, with the propensity to undergo oak fermentation or ageing, under the right conditions.

Many different sub-regions of the Loire Valley make wines from chenin blanc, with the wines of Savennières nearly all dry and those of Bonnezeaux or Coteaux du Layon, being sweet. The prime Loire appellation for chenin blanc is Vouvray, located on the river near Tours, opposite the similar but lesser known Montlouis. The wines of Vouvray have in-built class, deriving from the particular soils and micro-climate, and can be dry, medium or sweet and indeed sparkling. Château de Valmer makes a particularly good Vouvray in all four styles, with the sweeter capable of ageing ten years or more.

The Wine Society has a comprehensive range of chenin blanc from the Loire, including some vintages of Domaine Huet Vouvray, the undisputed leader of the Vouvray appellation. Again, making the full spectrum of the Vouvray styles, the 1969 Demi-sec is on offer at £130 a bottle. Extraordinarily, it also has a 1948 vintage available at £245 per bottle. Exceptional wines at exceptional prices, but actually amazing value considering the age and potential drinkability.

In its ‘new’ home of South Africa, chenin blanc thrives, with inexpensive and premium wines produced. All the supermarkets have South African chenin at low prices, which are easy drinking, simple wines. More serious wines, however, are worth seeking out, rewarding the taster with deep, complex, satisfying flavours that linger on the palate.

Old Road Wine Company Anemos Chenin Blanc 2020 comes from the prestigious Franschoek region, made fromunirrigated vines grown at over 1,000 feet altitude, giving coolness. Nine months ageing in old French oak barrels gives added depth and complexity, resulting in a fresh, yet full-bodied and mineral wine with great depth of flavour of pears, quince, honeycomb and a hint of spice. £15.95 from Slurp and The Secret Bottle Shop.

Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2021 is made by one of the oldest wineries in South Africa, founded in1693. Handpicked from some of the oldest bush vines in South Africa, it is nevertheless a very modern style of wine, with opulent, tropical fruit flavours, combining with ripe pear and honey hints. Low yielding vines caressed by cool ocean breezes, produce wine of exceptional concentration. Harvesting takes place in two phases, with the first giving the fresh fruit character, fermented in a combination of old large oak vats, concrete and amphorae. The later harvest is fermented for 10 months in small oak casks and adds great structure and complexity, this being blended with the earlier harvested wine. Fabulous value at only £11 a bottle from Tesco (currently on offer at £9).

Richard Esling is a wine consultant, agent, writer and educator. He runs agency and consultancy WineWyse, is founder and principal of Sussex Wine Academy and is chairman of Arundel Wine Society