Now for something completely different
Thrill-seeking choices can be a nice change of pace for wine drinkers
Many of the wines featured in this column are selected for their crowd-pleasing character. They’re commonly described as having mass appeal.
These are red wines with smooth texture thanks to a pleasingly ripe core of fruit and tannins that are more like a supple chamois cloth than sandpaper grit. White wines that are soft and round, with gentle acidity and pleasing complexity. These are typically wines made to be balanced and approachable. Ready to drink now as opposed to wines that improve in bottle and reward the patient collector.
They represent a large percentage of the wines available at liquor stores, supermarkets and online, and are featured on restaurant wine lists. But focusing so much attention on them does a disservice to the other side of wine appreciation, not to mention readers looking for something different.
The white wine recommended today comes from a favourite Chilean producer, Viña Montes, which has helped revolutionize winemaking in its native land. A pioneer in the Colchagua Valley in the middle of the country, Montes looked to coastal vineyards to the north to find areas more suited for its white wine production. Along the way they — and similar minded Chilean winemakers like Casa Marin, Casa Silva and Undurraga — have dialed in on a unique expression of Sauvignon Blanc.
The Montes Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc delivers the pungent herbal and grassy character of the grape variety with bracing acidity that’s fostered by the cool Pacific Ocean breezes. The result is a dry white wine that’s fresh and intense — the sort of thrill-seeking experience that veteran wine writer Billy Munnelly likens to an extreme sport.
It’s a style that I enjoy, but I know isn’t for everyone, even those who call themselves Sauvignon Blanc fans. I’ve seen the shocked faces first-hand when I’ve poured glasses during wine appreciation classes and for guests at home. It’s polarizing, but it’s definitely worthy of our attention.
Christopher Waters is the co-founder and editor of Vines, a national consumer wine magazine.