What hasn't really changed all that much is the relative obscurity of Loire Chenin Blanc.

WSJ: Singing of France's Unsung Chenin Blanc | On Wine by Jay McInerney

"My best experiences with South African wine have been Chenin Blanc and Vin de Constance, " he explained in an email.

WSJ: Does Much-Unloved Pinotage Deserve Another Look? | On Wine by Lettie Teague

Chenin Blanc almost certainly originated in the central Loire Valley, although both California and South Africa have more acreage planted in it.

WSJ: Singing of France's Unsung Chenin Blanc | On Wine by Jay McInerney

Not surprisingly, he said it was a Chenin Blanc from his native Loire Valley, but he couldn't remember the maker or the vintage.

WSJ: Singing of France's Unsung Chenin Blanc | On Wine by Jay McInerney

While the white grape variety Chenin Blanc still remains the most planted in South Africa, its percentage of vineyard area has fallen in the past 10 years.

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The two white grapes, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Gris, went well with almost everything the pork, the chicken, the pasta and the salmon all fit, and the wines were rich and viscous but also minerally and clean. (I tasted both domestic and imported examples of each grape.) The only sticking point was, unsurprisingly, the steak.

WSJ: Wine and Food: Pairing Without Overthinking | On Wine by Lettie Teague

We tallied the average costs of some key elements of a first date: alcohol (specifically, a 1.5 liter bottle of Livingston Cellars, Gallo Chablis or Chenin Blanc wine), food (a 11- to 12-inch pizza from Pizza Hut), entertainment (an evening movie ticket), grooming (a barbershop visit), suiting up (a dry-cleaning bill) and transportation (price per gallon of gasoline).

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