O. Fournier B Crux Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 75cl

O. Fournier is one of the Uco Valley’s more ambitious producers, working across Argentina, Spain and Chile with a strong sense of place. Its B Crux label sits in the heart of the Argentine range, a step up from the everyday wines.

This Sauvignon Blanc comes from high-altitude Uco Valley fruit, where cooler conditions give the grape freshness and length. The house made it in a fuller, more structured style than the typical crisp, early-drinking Sauvignon, building in the substance a white needs if it is going to age at all.

Age is the point of difference. The 2015 now has around a decade in bottle, which is unusual for the grape, so this is a developed white to enjoy for its softened, savoury complexity rather than its youth. It is one for the curious rather than those chasing zesty freshness.

On the palate look for gentle citrus, tropical fruit and a rounded, textured feel, with the acidity calmed and the finish soft and lingering. It is a slower, more reflective glass than most Sauvignon Blanc. Serve it lightly chilled so the aromas have room to open.

This is a wine for the explorer who enjoys mature bottles and likes to see how a variety changes with time. It works well with creamy pasta, roast poultry, richer fish dishes or a soft cheese, and is best drunk now while its aged, savoury character is at its most expressive. It makes a genuine talking point at the table, a reminder that even the freshest of grapes can take on real depth with time in bottle.