19 Feb Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Kunin Wines 2022 Chenin Blanc, Jurassic Park, Santa Ynez Valley

While in Santa Barbara for a conference this past week, I spent time with Magan Eng, proprietor of Kunin Wines. From Cinsault, Counoise, Carignane, and Valdigue to Chenin Blanc and more, there was not a wine I did not enjoy immensely. But the best part of wine is enjoying it with friends over conversation. So, when the Kunin Wines 2022 Chenin Blanc, Jurassic Park, Santa Ynez Valley was paired with some cheese, meat, and a long, deep conversation, I knew that that wine was the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About Kunin Wines:

Kunin Wines was started by Seth Kunin in 1998 with a focus on Syrah, Zinfandel, and Viognier. Seth later added Rhone and Loire Valley varieties such as Grenache, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc. I first met Seth in 2005 and would see him on various trips to Santa Barbara over the years. He and his wife Magan started The Valley Project in 2013, featuring small production wines that represent the different AVAs of Santa Barbara County.

In 2017, Seth unexpectedly passed away. It was a shock to everyone in the wine community. Thankfully, his memory lives on through his wines. His wife, Magan Eng, took over and is now the sole proprietor of Kunin Wines. Magan had worked as a sommelier in Chicago restaurants before moving to California to be with Seth. She has a fantastic palate and a lovely demeanor and continues the tradition of delicious small production wines.

Tasting Notes:

The Chenin Blanc is sourced from the Jurassic Park Vineyard. The vineyard is rich in fossils and fossil fuels which inspired its name. Planted in the early 1980s, the Chenin Blanc is own-rooted.  The Kunin Chenin Blanc was fermented in neutral oak and racked off its lees immediately after primary fermentation. It is aged, without lees, in neutral barrels. The result is a wine with aromas of lemon, white flowers, chamomile, and white pepper. On the palate, the wine has a creamy mouthfeel and finishes with bright acidity. This is a lovely textured wine with fresh elegance and structure.

Food Pairing:

Chenin Blanc is a great wine to pair with seafood dishes, such as scallops, shrimp, and oysters. It also pairs beautifully with cheese. The Kunin Wines tasting room is in downtown Santa Barbara and is connected to the Cheese Shop Santa Barbara, a neighborhood cheese shop offering artisanal cheeses from around the world along with salumi, wine, and more. Magan and I picked up a chunk of Bava Sbgliata, an Alpine cow’s cheese from Bavaria, sprinkled with Parmigiano from the upper valleys of Parma. The cheese was mild with a creamy mouthfeel and grassy, herbal notes. The round texture of the wine was a match with the cheese and the acidity then cut through the creaminess. Alongside the cheese, we also enjoyed a few slices of Wagyu roast beef, which complemented the wine’s bright acidity and structure.

Where To Purchase:

The Kunin 2022 Chenin Blanc retails for $36. You can visit the Kunin Wines tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara or order directly at KuninWines.com.