Sauvignon Blanc can be very different depending on where it is from and how it is made. Some are fruity, some are smooth and elegant, some are oaky and smoky. This particular wine is a very young Sauvignon Blanc, straight from the tanks, into the bottles and off to your wine store’s shelves.
Montes began in the late 1980’s with a vision to make world class wine in Chile. Many have undoubtedly heard of their Montes Alpha line of wines, which garner high scores and are dependable values. They have continuously pushed the quality line 
higher, and now make a super-premium wine, Taita, which retails around the $300 mark. There are a series of other lines as well, filling in the spots along the price chain from the Taita to their entry level wines.
Montes make wines from estate vineyard grapes in many of the best known areas in Chile. These include the Aconcagua, Casablanca, Maipo, Colchagua and Leyda Valleys. You can see the location of these regions on the map to the right.
Here we’re looking at something much more modestly priced, a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that should make just about anyone happy. Let’s take a closer look.
Wine: 2015 Montes Spring Harvest Sauvignon Blanc
Winery Location: Leyda Valley, Chile
Tasted By: Neil & Cheri Date: May 2016
Tasting Notes: this wine is an absolute basket of bright fruit on both the nose and the palate. Citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruits, pineapple and peach join in. At first the fruit is so prevalent you almost think you’re about to get a pungent, grassy experience as in some New Zealand varieties, but no – this is pure fruit. It’s got nice acid, resulting balance and a clean finish. This is really more of an aperitif or warm day sipping wine than something to pair with food. I actually had a glass after a few hours of home remodeling, and really wanted an ice cold beer. This worked surprisingly well as a substitute. It’s delicious, thirst quenching and would go great in your cooler this summer.
Price Point – $12-$14
Would We Buy It? – sure would. This is bright and refreshing. I’m still trying to figure out how they got this much fruit in one bottle.
If you like your wines fresh and fruity then this is perfect. It’s very well made, quality juice at a good price.
If you’re interested in trying more wines from Chile then consider the wines of Montes. As mentioned, they make them from everyday house wines to ultra high end premium rarities, and everything in between. This is a winery that definitely deserves an in-depth feature article at some point.
A votre santé!
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