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Great Wine Values: Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc

Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc
Chile

Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc
Chile

$8.99

PLCB Item #9983

Sale price through 7/29 – regularly $10.99

Sauvignon blanc is a grape that does everything right, but rarely gets much recognition. It is one of the world's top white wine grapes, and the best of the bunch in consistently delivering high-quality wines at bargain basement prices. But that's precisely why sauvignon blanc is so often underrated. Its reputation for fine wines suffers from its capacity to excel at every price point. There's another issue, though, that muddies public perception of sauvignon blanc wines and compromises their popularity. Where chardonnay and pinot grigio are fairly neutral and predictable in flavor profile, sauvignon blanc has a dramatic stylistic range that can be quite forceful in flavor and is hard to predict from the label alone. Most sauvignon blancs are light, tart white wines with a distinctive scent, where citrus flavors such as lemon and grapefruit compete with leafy green aromatics such as those of chopped parsley or bell peppers. But, a significant number are quite different, especially those from California – heavier and less acidic, with more neutral flavors of honeydew melons or ripe pears. The key to distinguishing the two can be found in the small print. Wines with 13 percent alcohol or less, such as this bracing Chilean example, will be lightweight with a live wire of tangy acidity, the dry white wine world's equivalent of the minted mojito or Corona with lime. It's only when alcohol nudges over 13.5 percent that you should expect a softer, gentler style of sauvignon blanc.

Also available at:

Canal's Bottlestop in Marlton, N.J. – $8.09, www.canalswine.com

Joe Canal's in Marlton, N.J.  – $9.09, www.marltonjoecanals.com/

Total Wine & More in Claymont, Del.  – $9.99, www.totalwine.com/