Ritual Casablanca Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
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James Suckling
This is linear and clean with sliced green apple and lemon character. Medium body, dense and fresh. Pear, lemon and lime character.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Ritual Sauvignon Blanc is produced with grapes from Casablanca. The grapes are picked at different points of ripeness and fermented in diverse vessels: stainless steel, used barrique and concrete eggs. The whole clusters were pressed and the juice fermented with native yeasts. It was kept with lees for some eight months before being bottled. The idea is to have a Sauvignon Blanc that is about the palate and the texture rather than an exuberant and aromatic version. It's a little reduced but their zone, and especially in a cold year like 2016, it is quite austere. So, this is fresh and vibrant, very tasty, happy but serious. Very good Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc and very good value.
Rating: 90+
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Wine &
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Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
A region that has become synonymous with some of the best whites of Chile, the Casablanca Valley is full of dozens of bodegas who either grow fruit here or come from outside to source from local growers for their own white wine programs. The valley runs from east to west, which means that its westernmost vineyards receive the most cooling influence from the reliable afternoon sea breezes. The soils also tend to be heavier in clay in the west, whereas the eastern end of the valley is warmer and its soils are predominantly granitic. Sauvignon blanc thrives here, Chardonnay does well and Pinot noir is not uncommon.