Amayna Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - 100.62

On a recent trip to Santiago, I stumbled across a tiny wine shop named Baco with a fantastic selection and good prices. Like many of the Chileans, the attendant spoke little English, which required me to summon my high school spanish classes to ask the most basic questions. "Cual es tu favorito?" - I'm sure the conjugation was wrong, but she knew what I was asking - "Amayna, pero no lo tenemos". Okay, I guess I'll look for it back in the states!

A few weeks back, I asked Brooks at Veritas about his Chilean selection - a sole bottle of Perez Cruz cabernet answered the question. However, a week later, there were four Chilean choices. How this changed so quickly, I have no clue, but I was happy to see the Amayna Sauvignon Blanc.

Most Chilean Sauvignon Blancs I've enjoyed are quite similar to those from northern California - bright, floral, light, and refreshing. Amayna, I've determined, must be a winter sauvignon blanc, because it has the heft of a chardonnay coupled with the citrus flavors expected from a SB. The front end acidity was noteworthy, enveloping the mouth with rich notes of lime. The wine was highly concentrated, coating every taste bud with flavors of sourness, sweetness, and everything in-between. The finish was a respectable one full minute, but the flavors were so bold and the mouthfeel so rich that the wine left me longing for a traditional SB that would fair better in the 96 degree Texas heat.

This wine is deserving of at least a 90 point rating, for its richness and concentration are respectable, however, the timing was not right for me. I plan to explore this bottle once again come November.

$20, 90 points, 100.62 PDI