Vina Palo Alto Sauvignon Blanc from Chile
By Marisa D'Vari | July 23rd, 2008 | Category: Wine reviews | 2 comments 
Succulent corn on the cob with melted butter, a thinly sliced jicama salad with mango and a squirt of lime, and tender scallop cerviche are all popular summer dishes that demand a bright, light, racy wine to complement them. Happily they have found their match in Vina Palo Alto Reserve Sauvignon Blanc from the Maule Valley of Chile.
Lime, lime, lime is the singular note on the palate, with racy acidity and a finish of grapefruit zest and minerals. The fruit is nicely concentrated and expressive, and though the label calls this wine a “reserve” there is little evidence of any wood on the nose or palate. Then again, when Chile
revised its wine laws in 1995, the designation “Riserva” and “Grand Riserva” do not specify any rules pertaining to age or production. Tasting this wine in combination with seven other Sauvignon Blancs from around the world nicely showed off its best characteristics, such as its refreshing acidity, notes of lime and lime blossom, with a slightly sweeter grapefruit finish. If you like wines from New Zealand, you are sure to like this. $14.99
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Maybe we got a bad bottle, but while the nose was OK, the finish was medicinal to my palate. Is that the mineral notes (I haven't seen many wines described as mineral, but this one has it twice on the label and you mentioned this as well)?
A crisp but not sharp finish. The hint of lime was nice compared to the normal fruity SB. I like this best very cold. A good value. The Palo Alto red is very good when you let it breathe for about an hour.