A young wine with no pretension

If you sampled the delights of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc which was my one of my other recent recommendations, then this Chilean version will be the perfect contrast.

Too often, this grape underperforms in Chile, tasting flabby, over-fruity and ultimately dull. This young, fresh example is quite different. Named for the Yali wetlands which border the vineyards, this wine is also a gesture in the direction of planet protection. It’s a product of Vina Ventisquero and they are making generous contributions to the preservation of vital wetland regions worldwide.

The charming green bird on the label gives a clue to how this wine does literally ‘sing’ on the palate. It has a distinctive, tart acidity, found in the very finest Sauvignon Blanc.  But it also tastes of lime and lemon, with a perfumed backnote which makes you think of lychee or white peach. The finish is quite short, as it is a very young wine with no pretensions to keeping and aging.

Serve this with a fresh spring salad or a stir fry and see how it adds zing to a simple dish. Or sample with seafood such as oysters or mussels to make a change from Chablis or Muscadet.

Yali Sauvignon Blanc 2009, £6.49 (down to £4.49 from 2-23 February at Majestic and Tesco)

ROZ COOPER: BIOGRAPHY

Roz began her wine career in California, leading wine tours and tasting wines for a wine warehouse near San Francisco. She then ran her own California wine import business in the UK and subsequently became assistant editor of Decanter magazine, then wrote various books on wine including The Wine Almanac. Since then, she has written wine columns in many publications and edited books and magazines, including The Italian Magazine. She’s passionate about green issues including organic and biodynamic winemaking and also works on a voluntary basis with the Galapagos Conservation Trust.

Tags: Wine of the Week