Drink of the Week: Neverstill Chenin Blanc 2023 

After weeks of withholding, warmer temperatures have finally arrived where I live in New York. I’m celebrating by ditching the wool layers when I take my dog on morning walks, and embracing wines that taste like springtime. One recent favorite is Neverstill 2023 Chenin Blanc, a zippy bottle from an area near New York’s Finger Lakes. 

While the Finger Lakes is among the most established wine-growing regions in the eastern United States, Neverstill is a relatively new operation. The winery released its first vintage in June 2024, about two years after founder Christy Counts joined forces with winemaker Nova Cadamatre, a Master of Wine. Assistant winemaker Bryce Lianna came on board in 2023. Last fall, the team opened an elegantly breezy wine bar in Hudson, New York—just the place to raise a glass to late sunsets and warm evenings (finally).

What I appreciate about this bottle is it’s not trying to be Loire Valley or South African Chenin—two regions renowned for the grape. Instead, Neverstill’s take strikes me as distinctly North American, with lots of juicy tropical fruit offset by delightfully brisk acidity. I like to drink it with olives and charcuterie as an aperitif, but it would also be lovely with main-course green salads, grilled or roasted white fish, or pretty much anything on a Greek Islands-inspired mood board. Whether you’re toasting the change of season, or simply drinking for the weather you want, it’s almost guaranteed to put a spring in your step. $35, neverstillwines.com