Wine Review: 2009 Punto Final Sauvignon Blanc

I recently had the opportunity to taste through the wines of Bodega Renacer during a Winemaker's Night at Vines of Mendoza. Already familiar with the Punto Final Malbec (easy to find in U.S. restaurants and wine shops), I was interested to taste the rest of the line. 


A bit about the winery- Renacer means "rebirth" in Spanish, a reference to a new beginning for this Chilean family who only recently began producing wines in 2003.  The production is supervised by two winemaking masters- Hector Durigutti, one of the biggest rising stars of the Argentine wine industry, and Roberto Antonini, responsible for the world-famous Allegrini wines of Tuscany.


The 2009 Punto Final Sauvignon Blanc was an excellent start to the tasting.  Bright straw yellow in color with greenish tints, the wine displays aromas of fresh cut grass, ripe grapefruit, lime, white flowers and wet stone.  Lively acidity and moderate alcohol at 12.5. It is refreshing, aromatic, and elegant. 


It's everything I love out of the grape, reminding me of a rounder version of a New Zealand Sauv Blanc.  Only thing is, it's not fully Argentine. Though the wine is made in Renacer's winery in the Lujan de Cuyo, the grapes come from the Casablanca Valley in Chile, a region of coastal hills that receive cool Pacific winds, a perfect climate for creating that wonderful acidity that one finds in this wine. 


Pairing suggestions, anyone? How about Chilean Sea Bass with orange and lime salsa? Or summer spinach salad with goat cheese and grapefruit. Or a hot, sunny day and a shady patio.


The white is exciting, but Renacer also produces some interesting reds worth noting. The 2007 Punto Final Reserve Malbec is inky purple with flavors of cassis, black cherry and cedar and this wine recently received 92 points from Wine Spectator. More compelling was the 2007 En Amore, a blend of Malbec, Cabernet, Cab Franc, Bonarda, and Syrah made in the style of the Italian Amarone (En Amore is an anagram for Amarone). This means that the grapes were picked and then laid out on mats to dry in the sun for three weeks. Though completely different from the traditional Amarone, En Amore is elegant and surprising, with aromas of dried cherry and strawberry with a hint of violet, spice, and raisin.