Chenin Blanc today is all about flavor and refreshment with delicious foods, especially with ethnic foods or for picnics and cookouts. It isn't every white wine that pairs with such a wide range of foods, but Chenin Blanc is popular because of its diversity. Whether its fresh fish, poultry or pork, veal or vegetables; spicy, marinated, tart or creamy; simply grilled or wood-smoked - Chenin Blanc will surely add to the enjoyment of your meal.

Today it is not uncommon to buy wines for immediate consumption. Fresh young Chenin Blanc wines have mouth-watering fresh fruit and delicate floral aromas that lead to a fruit salad of flavors - apple, melon, apricot, guava and pineapple - perfect for pairing with grilled foods. These flavors are all backed by the natural crispness that makes Chenin Blanc so perfectly balanced.

A native of France, Chenin Blanc has the ability in California to produce clean, balanced wines in warm climates. A number of coastal wineries produce Chenin Blanc as part of their varietal line and, like their French counterparts, offer wines in the dry to off-dry styles. Of the few who offer dry wines, some use oak barrel aging to both deepen and enrich their wines. Chenin Blanc is particularly friendly with a variety of cheeses, from soft cheeses like Boursin to firm Gouda and Monterey Jack, even the popular flavored cheeses.

Howell Mountain Vineyards was acquired in 2005 by Rutherford Bench LLC, which is owned by the Chow Family. The Howell Mountain Vineyards brand was originally established in 1988 to handcraft limited releases of Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Beatty Ranch and Black Sears vineyards in Napa Valley's renowned Howell Mountain region. From their elevations of over 1,800 feet, Howell Mountain grapes are known to produce exceptionally bold, full-bodied and rich wines.

Howell Mountain is located northeast of St. Helena, above the Silverado Trail, with the Napa Valley to the west and Pope Valley to the east. With its high elevations, the mountain avoids the influence of fog that blankets the valley floor beneath, creating a climate that is cooler than most of Napa Valley during the day, but warmer at night. Because of this, Howell Mountain grapes have a character distinct from those grown on the Napa Valley floor, and have led to the region being recognized in 1983 as Napa Valley's first sub-appellation.

The appellation encompasses around 14,000 acres, yet only 600 acres are planted due, in part, to the rugged nature of the region. The soils of this area are mostly well-drained tuff and volcanic rock. Water retention is poor, producing vines with low vigor and deep roots. These conditions are ideal for growing grapes that are small, tightly clustered and powerfully concentrated, for intense fruit flavors in the wines.

This recipe is perfect for the beginning of spring into the heat of the summer. Pour Chenin Blanc or other dry white wine. Would also pair with Pinot Noir or Zinfandel if you're a red wine drinker.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole pork tenderloin, about 1 lb
• 3 tbsp apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup mustard (choose your favorite)

Season tenderloin with salt and pepper. Stir together the preserves and mustard in a small bowl. Grill pork over a medium-hot fire for about 15 minutes, turning to cook evenly. Internal temperature should be 160º F. Brush with apricot-mustard mixture the last few minutes of grilling. Cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve.

Cucumber-Red Pepper Salad:

• 1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

Preparation:

In medium shallow serving bowl, toss cucumber slices with onion slices and diced red bell pepper. In a small bowl, combine remaining dressing ingredients and mix well. Drizzle salad with the dressing.

Let stand at room temperature, up to 2 hours, until ready to serve.

Serve the sliced pork tenderloin with sweet corn and cucumber salad along side. Makes 4 servings

Recipes and photo courtesy of National Pork Board. For more information about The Other White Meat , visit http://www.TheOtherWhiteMeat.com

Everything you always wanted to Know about a Grape (and more)

• The smaller the grape, the more concentrated its flavor
• Skin color and thickness give wine (especially red and rose') its color and many of its aromatic qualities
• Acid/sugar ratio determines the wine's sweetness and level of alcohol.
• All wine, whether still, sparkling, fortified, or aromatized, is fermented grape juice.
• Archeological clues suggest that grapes were cultivated as far back as 4000 BC, and although the exact origin of wine-making are uncertain, civilization has merely refined what is a natural process.
• All the classic grapes come from the species Vitis vinifera, which yields the largest and sweetest fruits. Thousands of varieties of Vitis viniferea exist. The grape variety determines the character of any given wine, although growing conditions and the wine-making process will affect the final result.
• The Pinot Noir Grape is one of the main grape varieties used in Champagne
• Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most well-known black grape varieties in the world. The grapes are high in tannins, so they age well but need time to mature.
• Chardonnay grapes are the most popular white grape variety, in party due to its unfussy temperament and versatility for making wine. Chardonnay grapes respond well to oak aging.
• Slightly low acidity of grapes mean wine is best drunk young.

Jack Stuart is a veteran of every California harvest since 1975. He is a recipient of the Robert Mondavi Trophy for Winemaker of the Year presented by the International Wine and Spirit Competition, as well as accolades from the Wine Spectator, the Los Angeles Times, the Wine News and numerous other journals.

Active in industry affairs, Stuart is past president of both the Napa Valley Vintners and the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association. A fifth-generation Californian who grew up among Santa Clara Valley orchards, Stuart received a bachelor's degree from Stanford and took his graduate study in viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis. He lives in St. Helena with his wife, Loraine, a farmworker advocate for Napa Valley Community Housing.