Varietal: Â 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Â San Antonio Valley, Chile
Cost: Â $14 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Â The Sauvignon Blanc is a pale yellow with green hues and has very mild mineral and citric aromas with notes of herbs, white flowers, and grapefruit. It is a very expressive and refreshing wine with a long mineral finish. It pairs beautifully with seafood, chicken, and vegetables.
My Review: Â Thanks to my long history with the various wines of Chile, I’ve had several vintages and varietals of wine from Cono Sur, and have typically been impressed with them. When I’m looking for a Chilean wine at my local store and I see their label I usually grab it because I know they make quality wines at a reasonable price, and their habit of making organic wines doesn’t hurt (it’s not make or break, but why not take advantage). All of that being said, getting to taste a new vintage of their Sauvignon Blanc was welcome.
In the glass the wine was a nice pale yellow, though I didn’t pick up the green hues that the winemaker apparently spotted. On the nose the wine exhibited plenty of citrus, predominantly lime, with a hint of herbs. On the palate the wine was crisp and refreshing, with plenty of citrus, again the lime was dominant, and a nice clean finish that didn’t linger past its invite.
As with the other Sauvignon Blancs from Chile I’ve recently sampled, the original plan was to pair them with oysters of some type, but being unable to get oysters this time of year, I improvised. In this case, my wife and I paired the wine with some Chinese takeout. Both dishes had some spice to them (Genereal Tso’s and Singapore Mei Fun for the record), and the crisp acidity of the wine did a nice job of cutting it a bit, even without any sweetness to contribute.
Cono Sur is a regular recommendation of mine when friends are asking for wine picks and want something from outside the country that’s easy to drink and affordable, and the 2011 Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc would be no exception to that track record. It’s a nice representation of what Chile produces with the grape, and a versatile wine for pairing with a variety of foods, including chicken and seafood.
Editor’s Note: Â I received this wine as a free sample for review.
