Casa Silva Cool Coast Paredones Vineyard Colchagua Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Casa Silva consistently works magic with all of its wines, thanks to the winery’s technical director Mario Geise. And the estate’s latest venture, Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc, from the exceptionally cool growing area of Paredones, is no exception. The 2012 Casa Silva Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc sports a light, bright robe that belies the wine’s wonderfully aromatic nose and fine array of sophisticated flavors. Fresh, racy, and full of pinpoint precision, this exceptional Chilean Sauvignon Blanc offers a wealth of grassy, herbal, and smoke tinged flavors that fill the mouth. Like a peacock’s tail, the flavors of the 2012 Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc spread slowly in the mouth and linger long after the cool freshness of the wine slides easily down the throat. So, there’s no need to rush this baby. The wine is delicious now, but if previous vintages are any indication, Casa Silva’s 2012 Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc will continue to improve in bottle for at least another year or two. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest moderate chilling (40º-45º F) before serving.

Casa Silva’s ebullient 2012 Cool Coast Paredones Sauvignon Blanc provides a superb opening act to any evening, whether it is a big fun-filled affair or a quiet night at home. With or without food, Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc slips down easily, though our preference is to pair it with hors d’oeuvres, smoked meats such as salami and prosciutto, or just about anything that once swam in the sea. Shrimp Scampi and Shrimp Fra Diavolo pair well with this wine. Spaghetti with Wine Clam Sauce offers another fine companion. Stuffed Flounder provides yet another tasty accompaniment, especially when the fish is stuffed with sautéed garlic, spinach and cheese. Other winning combinations in the company of Casa Silva’s Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc include Thai and Chinese specialties, especially Khao Pad Grao Prao or Thai Chicken with Basil served with fried jasmine rice. Other Asian stir fries work equally well. Enjoy!

Casa Silva consistently astounds with the quality as well as the variety of the wines it produces. It is a spotless modern winery that continues to ratchet up quality with each successive vintage. Undoubtedly, Casa Silva is one of just a handful of South America’s very finest wine estates. It is located two hundred kilometers south of Santiago, in the heart of Colchagua, an area many are now calling Chile’s Napa Valley. Casa Silva has garnered more recognition and awards at international wine competitions than any other Chilean winery. It has also been awarded Winery of Year from numerous sources many times over. Furthermore, Catad’Or Hyatt, Chile’s most prestigious wine competition, has named Casa Silva “Best Chilean Producer” three consecutive times. However, it is not the past that matters, but the present. The Silva family and consulting enologist Mario Geise, dubbed the King of Carmenère, continue to take this beautiful property that sits at the base of the towering Andes to even loftier heights.

Casa Silva’s present inception dates back to only 1997, the year this property began bottling premium wines under its own name. However, historical accounts tell us that the Silva family’s predecessors were pioneers in Colchagua more than a century ago, when the Silvas brought the first grape varieties from France to the Angostura estate they still occupy on the slopes of the Cordillera of the Andes that loom above the vineyards. Today, the Silvas remain pioneers: they continue as Colchagua’s foremost experts on Carmenère, Chile’s emblematic red grape variety. Moreover, this great property is at the vanguard of South America’s success with other traditional French grape varieties, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, and Semillon. The estate’s Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc from the now renowned Paredones Vineyard (this month’s feature) ranks as one of Chile’s finest. Can there be any doubt as to why the white and red wines of Casa Silva are still the most highly acclaimed in South America?