Look closely at the label of this wine and you’ll see something other than just the Los Vascos name, you’ll also see Domaines Baron de Rothschild (Lafite) — one of the most prestigious producers in Bordeaux… and therefore one of the most expensive. That name is on the bottle because they took over the Los Vascos estate in 1988. And while their wines from Bordeaux are pricey, those from Los Vascos are quite reasonable, making Los Vascos some of the few wines with the Lafite name that I can afford to drink.
Despite the prestige of the Lafite name, there was one thing about this wine that kind of turned me off, the synthetic cork. I don’t mind screw caps, and there’s something experiential about a real cork that just adds to the romance of a wine. But a rubbery/plastic synthetic cork is just a turn off to me. How about you?
But as I get past my disappointment with the cork I get to what’s really important, the wine. And it doesn’t disappoint.
The nose of this wine is exactly what I expect from a Casablanca Valley sauvignon blanc. It has plenty of tropical fruit aromas, a bit of herbal / grassiness, lime and a cool mineral quality underlying all of it. On the palate it has intense grapefruit, lime and granny smith apple flavors. The apple flavor really stands out on a long finish, which is also riddled with acidity. The finish of the finish (I know “the finish of the finish” may sound ridiculous, but it was that loooong, and complex) has a bit of saltiness. In fact, the acidity in this wine is incredible, making this a superb sauvignon blanc for shellfish.
Wine: Los Vascos
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 89
Price: $10.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.