Thursday, June 23, 2011

Santiago Station "Devil's Back" Sauvignon Blanc NV

Central Valley, Chile (wine review and rating)

Santiago Station "Devil's Back" Sauvignon Blanc NV

Origin: Central Valley, Chile
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $3.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Very pale straw-gold in color, this wine has aromas of citrus zest and lemongrass, with very faint floral notes. The fruit flavors on the palate are well balanced, citrusy but not overly tart. The finish adds a touch of slate-like minerality and is quite long.

Our rating: We saw this new, very inexpensive non-vintage wine in the store available as both a 750ml bottle and in a box, and will take an opportunity review the latter (and compare to the former) in a subsequent post. At present, though, this is a very impressive wine at this price point. It exhibits the typical characteristics of this varietal from Chile -- less aggressive that New Zealand wines, more fruitful than California wines -- and is food friendly too. It's not perfect, by any means, its weakest attribute probably being that there isn't much depth to it. We think it probably best pairs with seafood, though it could easily be served with most Asian cuisines, which is how we enjoyed our bottle (with stir-fried chicken and vegetables). On its own, we rate it Above Average, but considering how inexpensive it is, this is definitely a label to consider for everyday meals.

Taste profile from the winemaker: None

Winery website: None found. We believe this is a new label for The Wine Group, our only evidence being that the company received a trademark for "Santiago Station" in April 2011.

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