Apaltagua, Casablanca Valley (Chile) Chardonnay 2016

 This is an unusual and very appealing Chardonnay.  With no distracting oak flavors whatsoever, the purity of fruit shines through.  Along with what appears to be a streak of minerality this Chardonnay offers good, refreshing acidity, whose crispness swirls in around mid-palate instead of bursting out on the finish.  One reason Alpatagua’s wines can be so invigorating is that the grapes come from vineyards in the Casablanca Valley, which is considered to be Chile’s cool climate valley.