Cono Sur Delivers Great Balance in a Chilean Sauv Blanc

I have a friend or two, maybe more, who tease me about 'falling in love' with certain grapes or styles of wine for a few weeks and then moving on to something else.

Well, I'm not as bad as a year ago but still guilty.

Right now I'm really enjoying Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. Chile is probably best known for its native Carmenere grape but Sauv Blanc and even Pinot are making a name for Chilean wines.

Friday night I opened a bottle of Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc, a 2009 San Antonio Valley offering at $13.

It definitely has the big citrus we've all come to expect in Sauv Blanc. I really liked the tart lime sense I was getting on the palate. There is grass and maybe even a hint of pineapple. This was very well-balanced wine. It wasn't overly mineral or grassy which is what made me really love it.

A real wine geek I guess would call it elegant.

It's great bang-for-your-buck white wine. If you can't find Cono Sur (and I suggest you try) there are lots of other Chilean Sauv Blancs out there.

This bottle came as a trade sample along with a bottle of their Pinot Noir. I'll pop that Pinot open soon to see if it holds up to the quality of the white!

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com