Tour of Chile Part 2 (Coastal Whites) – Vina Casablanca Nimbus Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

100% Sauvignon Blanc from Casablanca Valley, Chile.

SRP of $13 and available for as low as $10. Sample received courtesy Wines of Chile for review purposes.

From the bottle:

“The grapes were harvested at optimum ripeness and after extended skin contact, the wine was cold-fermented at low temperature in order to conserve and bring out its delicious, natural characteristics. The resulting wine is effusively floral and tropical with elements of maracuya, pineapple, peach and melon. It is refreshing, balanced and perfectly integrated, with an impressively long finish.

13.8% Alcohol”

Today we begin a new series on the white wines of Chile, and specifically from the Chilean coast. As we’ll see through this series, Chile offers a whole lot more than Cabernet and Carménère. (Although they certainly do that well.) 27% of Chile’s wine production is white wines and it is pretty evenly split between Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as the top 2. In fact there is a lot more acreage in both Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc than there is in Carménère, and those two white wines are only behind Cabernet Sauvignon in terms of total vineyard acreage.

The 2011 Vina Casablanc Nimbus Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc begins with aromas of tropical fruit and citrus. Tasting the wine shows good acidity and excellent flavors such as peach and lots of lemon and lime with a bit of zest to it. There are also some good mineral notes all the way through. It ends with a dry, tangy, medium-long finish. Really just a great balance of everything.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.