Varietal: Â 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Â Colchagua Valley – Chile
Cost:Â $14 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Â Calcu Sauvignon Blanc brings together herbal notes and lime over a fresh, mineral structure.
My Review: Â I recently received several bottles of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc as part of a promotion to pair them with oysters. We’re on the tail end of oyster season here in Richmond and while I’ve finally managed to track down what look to be some respectable oysters, I got a bit antsy over the weekend and decided to open up a bottle to pair with something else I was making for dinner, saving the rest of them for putting with oysters and other pairings.
In the glass the 2012 Calcu was a light straw color, and on the nose I picked up lime aromas more than any other citrus. In the mouth the wine was light and crisp, with the same lime and citrus notes from the nose coming forward with a hint of herbal notes. The wine had plenty of acid, but fortunately not so much as to hurt the teeth – if you’ve ever had a wine with lots of acid you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Paired with a dinner of mustard and herb chicken and pesto risotto the wine did a great job. The acid, while not overwhelming by itself, did a perfect job of cutting the creaminess of the risotto while matching up well with the mustard and herbs of the chicken.
I’ve made no secret of my enjoyment of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc – it’s one of my wife and my go to selections during the hot and humid summers we get here in Richmond, Virginia. The 2012 Calcu definitely fit the bill on what we look for in our Sauvignon Blanc, with plenty of citrus, crisp flavors, and a more than reasonable price for the quality. Oh, and for what it’s worth, I think this would have been excellent with oysters had I paired it with them.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine for free as a sample for review.
