O. Fournier B Crux Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 75cl

O. Fournier built its reputation in the Uco Valley with an ambitious, terroir-focused approach that also reaches into Spain and Chile. B Crux is the middle tier of its Argentine range, sitting between the entry wines and the flagships.

This is Sauvignon Blanc from the high Uco Valley, a cooler, high-lying setting that lends the grape freshness and definition. O. Fournier made it in a more serious, structured style than the usual zesty, drink-young Sauvignon, aiming for a white with texture and staying power rather than simple crunch.

The defining feature is age. With the 2014 now well over a decade old, this is a developed white, one to enjoy for its softened, secondary character rather than sharp primary fruit. Sauvignon Blanc rarely ages this long, which makes the bottle a genuine curiosity as much as a wine.

Expect notes of mellowed citrus, tropical fruit and a rounder, more textured palate, with the fresh acidity now settled and the finish gentle and long. It is a quieter, more contemplative style of white than most Sauvignon on the shelf. Serve it chilled but not ice-cold, so the developed aromas can show.

This suits the adventurous drinker who likes older wines and enjoys tasting how a grape evolves. Serve it with richer fish, roast chicken, creamy pasta or a soft cheese, and drink it now while its developed, savoury character is on full show. For the price of a curiosity, it offers a rare chance to taste a white grape that is almost never kept this long, and to see how it rewards the patient.