Medium gold color; tart citrus, lemon, orange zest, pineapple, white peach, bell pepper, minerality, salinity on the nose and palate.
Dry; no tannins; excellent acidity (3.19 pH). Light-medium body. Nuanced rather than fruit-forward. Much more delicate and non-assertive than, say, a New Zealand sauv blanc. Grapes hand harvested, fermented in stainless steel, aged on the lees for six months for complexity. The vineyard’s location near the Pacific Ocean—eight miles—produces saline notes, especially on the finish. 14% ABV
Viña Garcés Silva is a family-owned winery that planted its first vineyards in 1999. The family may have been involved with other agriculture production prior to the planting. They built the first winery in Chile’s Leyda Valley in 2002 and launched the Amayna brand the following year. The winery—as do many in Chile—is committed to sustainable farming and winemaking practices and social responsibility. All operations in the winery are gravity-feed; there is no pumping.
The Leyda Valley, located in the San Antonio Valley, is the southernmost county of South America. The Pacific Ocean to the west and Andes Mountains to the east make for ideal cold-climate grape varieties. The soil primarily is granitic rocks, which results in minerality in the wine that plays with the salt notes from the ocean.
Viña Garcés Silva Family Vineyards Amayna Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda Valley, Chile 2020 is polished, light-bodied, with complexity from extended time on the lees and minerality from Pacific Ocean eight miles away. Tart and tangy with bright acidity. Elegant with reserved fruit, subtle, refined. Pair with shellfish—oysters, mussels, clams; mild white fish; garlic prawns. Green salads with tangy vinaigrettes dressing; spring vegetables. Light poultry dishes, grilled or roasted chicken with herbs. Cheese—goat cheese is classic pairing with sauv blanc; also, feta, brie, tangy or slightly acidic cheeses. $25-27
Viña Garcés Silva Family Vineyards website
