Montes Classic Series Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Cool coastal Central Valley vineyards are the source of much of the fruit here and it's that which accentuates the bright aromatics — pink grapefruit and passionfruit up front, white peach and a hint of green pepper behind. Fruit from warmer inland sites fills things out a little, but it's always lively and zippy, with a clean, citrusy finish. A good example of Sauvignon where tropicality and crisp freshness sit comfortably side by side.

Great with tangy goat's cheese salad or grilled seabass - its zippy freshness cuts through richness a treat. Or simply sip it on its own - it's enjoyably bright and lively.

Viña Montes began in 1987 as a partnership between Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray, two pillars of the Chilean wine industry. They were convinced that Chile has the capability to produce wine of a quality to match anywhere else in the world and they set out to put this into practice. Douglas Murray died in 2010 but Aurelio has continued to develop and grow the business. Through the 1990's they focussed on the Apalta region of the Colchagua valley, where their winery is to be found near the town of Santa Cruz about 2 hours south of Chile's capital Santiago. And while much of their fame can be ascribed to their iconic wines, among them Montes Alpha 'M', Montes Folly and Purple Angel, they also produce many more wines ranging from excellent and good value entry level varietals right up to some of the most expensive and highly regarded wines Chile has to offer.