Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Talinay Sauvignon Blanc was very closed and needed time in the glass to start unfurling shy aromas. It's a lot less expressive than the other two Sauvignons. It's sourced from the chalkier slopes of the Talinay vineyard (up to 40% limestone content). The palate is sharp, focused and vertical with incredible chalky minerality, akin to chewing stones and with citric acidity, even salty. This should be long lived and develop more nuances and complexity with time in the bottle. Sauvignon in Chile is usually more tropical or herbal, it's not easy to find examples as mineral an austere as this one. With this high acidity, the wine has to have large bones, as it wouldn't feel as balanced as this one. Pure and precise, among the best Sauvignons I tasted in Chile. Rating: 93+ Points.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Part of the Coquimbo region and a key location for pisco production, the Limari Valley is one of the northern most wine producing regions of Chile. The other two, also part of Coquimbo, are the Elqui and less-developed Choapa Valleys. While more vineyard area is dedicated to pisco production (via the grapes of Muscat of Alexandria, Pedro Jimenez, Moscatel de Asturia and Torontel), the acreage under vine for still wine production has increased. The intense sunlight in the Limari Valley, coupled with little rainfall as well as the cooling effect of the Humboldt Current from the Pacifc Ocean, all make the area ideal for cool climate grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot noir.