The 2007 Chenin Blanc Walla Voila. The wine is sourced from a vineyard planted in 1972. Just off-dry in the style of Vouvray, it offers a nose of fresh melon and spring flowers. It has lively acidity, excellent balance, and is an ideal picnic or aperitif wine. L’Ecole No. 41 is one of Walla Walla’s pioneers, the third modern day winery in the Valley. Over the years the winery has prospered, outgrown the namesake schoolhouse, and now produces about 35,000 cases with distribution in all 50 states and abroad. Despite the expansion, quality has remained consistently excellent. L’Ecole’s original fame was the result of its success with Semillon. Today the winery produces three.Tel. (509) 525-0940; www.lecole.com

In some ways it’s a throwback to the early days of Washington winemaking, when Chenin was a popular tasting room off-dry white wine. Intended as a take on Vouvray, it’s getting progressively drier with each vintage, now just over one percent residual sugar. What this is bringing out are the more delicate aromas of honeysuckle, and flavors of lime, sweet lemon, orange and pineapple. It’s clear proof that Chenin Blanc need not be relegated to also-ran status in the U.S.——P.G.(12/1/2008)—— 89