A rare white wine entry among all the reds here on Notes–this is the 2011 Casillero del Diablo Reserva White. The Diablo originates from the Limarí Valley of Chile (does that make this northern Chilean area the root of all evil? or just great wine?), where the local climate imparts great tropical fruit notes to its white wines. The springtime temperatures, which can range from about 53 degrees at night to 77 by day, reminds me of Southern California and is just about ideal for growing tropical fruit. Or grapes, as it turns out.

2011 Casillero del Diablo Reserva White, Limarí Valley, Chile.

We opened the Diablo midweek, just a little dinner beverage that we sipped for a meal or two before finishing it off tonight with some light but delicious sushi and sashimi. The 2011 Casillero del Diablo Reserva White is a blend of whites, folding together Chardonnay (65%) and Moscato (35%) that is plucked from vineyards along Chile’s coast. In this guy’s mind, the mix works well and especially for wine drinkers like me who are looking for more than a Pinot Grigio but often less than a Chardonnay in a white. Give it a go–you’ll probably get an immediate whiff of citrus when you uncork it.

The winemaker says it has scents of “…pineapple, citrus, peaches, and hints of honey…” I’m not sure about the honey but you can definitely appreciate the others both on the nose and on your palate. We’ve done Diablo wines in the past, and you can read about them here or here. I hope you give this one a shot yourself. It’s readily available, inexpensive, and pretty decent as a working man’s white wine.