Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Leyda Valley, Chile
Cost: $15 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Pale-yellow color, with green tones. The nose faithfully reflects the wine’s origins, with clear, impressive notes of white fruit and its typical aromas of passion fruit and fresh pineapple. There are distinguishable notes of pyrascine and boxwood, together with elegant floral notes of orange blossom. The wine is piercing and vibrant on the palate, with a light body and long finish. Fresh flavors explode on the palate, with notes of yellow grapefruit, and great minerality. Highly recommend with parmesan razor clams, salmon ceviche, Chilean rock cod, or garlic shrimps.
My Review: We’re already into Summer here in North Carolina (I don’t care what the calendar says as I’m typing this–it’s already summer), with temperatures well into the 90s and flirting with the triple digits. That means any chance to open up a bottle of crisp, refreshing white will be taken.
Fortunately, I got the chance to try some crisp refreshing whites in the form of some Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. Chilean Sauvignon Blanc has long been a favorite in our house, but even I’ll admit that sometimes the acid can start to be too much. Which is why I was excited to find some more nuanced acid in the 2021 Montes Sauvignon Blanc.
In the glass the wine was a pale, nearly clear yellow color with touches of green. On the nose I got aromas of passion fruit, boxwood, and orange blossom, while in the mouth the wine showed great balanced acidity, with a light, vibrant, and refreshing body and flavors of yellow grapefruit and nice minerality on the finish.
I opened this wine to share with some friends while we munched on charcuterie, caprese skewers, and some meatballs (gotta have some food when you’re hanging out with friends and wine), and while the wine was nice, light, and refreshing–perfect for a 100+ degree day, I think pairing is with some ceviche to let the acid play off the citrus notes of the fish would be a great way to enjoy it.
For the price this is a great value, and one I’d keep an eye out for as we move further into the dog days of summer.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review
