McLaren Vale is not the first region most drinkers associate with Chenin Blanc, but Hither & Yon's 2026 release makes a strong case for it, built on grip as much as fruit. It is pale gold with a faint green tinge in the glass, and looks denser than a typical light white before the first sip.

Green apple and quince sit alongside a lanolin-like waxiness typical of the variety, with a savoury, almost saline edge underneath and a faint honeyed note that stops well short of sweetness. The palate carries real weight through the middle rather than staying purely light and fruity, and holds that weight right to the back of the mouth, with a texture closer to a lightly weighted white than a racy one.

Acid drives a long, dry finish, with a faint bitterness on the very end that keeps the wine leaning food-friendly rather than fruit-sweet, and a mineral note that lingers after the fruit has gone.

Pour it with fresh shellfish, grilled fish or a simple roast chicken, where its texture and acid line can do work a plainer white cannot.

It is drinking well young, and there is little to be gained from holding it, so it is best enjoyed within its first year or two.