It’s time for another wine from Chile!
This time, I’m trying a white. This is a Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley, produced by Viña Santa Rita. According to the data sheet, 85% is from the Casablanca Valley, while the remaining 15% is from nearby Leyda. Both Casablanca and Leyda are part of the Aconcagua D.O. and valley. This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
At first, I noted a very fruity nose, with grapefruit and a bit of lychee. Later, though, the fruit seemed to diminish a bit, leaving primarily citrus and some floral notes.
There is some citrus on the palate, along with some mineral notes. I’d call it slate, but I’ve never actually tasted slate (or most minerals), so I can’t really be sure, can I? The flavors are very bright and crisp.
The acidity gives it a nice balance. Very easy drinking. This is one of those wines where I seem to reach the end of the bottle much too soon.
For something a bit different, I’m including the winemaker’s comments here for comparison:
This wine has a brilliant yellow color with green hues. Its intense aroma is a fragrant
blend of citrus fruit and maracuya with a herbaceous backdrop typical of this variety.
On the palate, it is concentrated, with a pleasant acidity that highlights its freshness,
firm structure and excellent persistence.
The color description seems about right. I don’t pay much attention to the color, as I’m mostly interested in the taste. As for the aroma, I didn’t recognize “maracuya,” but I found out that it is a passionfruit. That’s probably what I described as lychee. The “herbaceous backdrop” is likely what I identified as floral. There’s no mention of mineral, but that could also be part of the “herbaceous backdrop.”
My point here is that different people will describe the same wine differently. The tasting notes will hopefully give you a basic idea of what the wine is like, but they can’t possibly describe how you’ll personally experience the wine, so don’t get too hung up on the precise descriptors used.
In summary, this is a good, crisp Sauvignon Blanc. It doesn’t have as much fruit as some that I’ve tasted. It’s well balanced. I enjoyed this wine with Swiss and Muenster cheeses.
I’ll give this a “Very good” rating. This normally sells for $13 at a local wine shop here in Minnesota. It is definitely worth buying.
