Before we enter the world of this Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, let us begin with some background knowledge. It is good for you, you know!
Santa Carolina is one of the seven largest wineries in all of Chile. It was established in 1875, although Chile has been making wine for ages. When I say ages, I mean ages. Let’s go with a rounded number: 450 years. Exactly. Just a little while. As it sits, Santa Carolina is one of the top five Chilean wine brands to be purchased in the United States. What about Canada? I have no idea. This is the statistic I found. To me, that data screams two things: a) Santa Carolina produces a lot of wine, and b) people like it.
So, I tried the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Reserva. I would like to stop at, “It was a delicious encounter for my tastebuds,” but I think it deserves a bit more exploration than that. As most wines that come out of Chile are dry, this one was not an exception. It had a distinct yellow-green hue, and was as clear as wines come. My nose immediately sensed gooseberries, Anjou-like pear essences, and tart green apple. In other words, it smelled very green! Deliciously crisp, this light-bodied Sauvignon Blanc revealed itself to be a great summer sipper. The palate produced crisp apple and pear flavour profiles with a hint of bitterness, but overall well-balanced acidity. At 13.5% alcohol, it did come across a bit hot for me, but generally speaking, I was delightfully pleased with this wine. I guess this means that a) I will be buying it again and b) I also fall under the “people like it” category.
Cheers!
This wine is available at your local BC Liqour Store:
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/product/741272
To learn more about Santa Carolina wines, please visit:
http://www.santacarolina.cl/eng/index.php
The Demystified Vine 