Greetings from South America! I’ve always been a fan of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, but never appreciated a glass of it so much until I had one after riding a horse through the vineyards of J. Bouchon while on a trip sponsored by Wines of Chile. You see, I am terrified of horses. But more on that later….

Because I have more urgent and exciting news. I asked my friend Elana of the ace food blog John and Elana Talk About Food to contribute some of her immense talents in the world of graphic design to a trio of my photos from Chile. And I am thrilled with the results and grateful to her for carving out time in between work, her own blogging, pizza-related leisure activities, and dominating performances in triathlons to lend some support to making my blog look sharp! (She also designed my blog. Thanks again, rock star.)

Ok, back to this blog episode: Terror on Horseback. I have a vague recollection of a traumatic incident while on a horse at summer camp. When I saw the trip itinerary included horseback riding, I could feel the dread rising up. I’d like to say I was pretty brave, but I got a little panicky and anxiety-ridden towards the end. My memory is a little hazy, but I believe these sentences and/or a variation on these words were uttered repeatedly:

• “I’m done.”
• “I’m ready for this to be done.”
• “I want off this thing, now.”

But in between stomach-churning moments, I did appreciate the perspective while perched atop a horse. And when I had my own two feet back on the ground, I further enjoyed the beauty of J. Bouchon’s vineyards and surrounding forested hills. Have you ever heard of País? It’s a grape that is a workhorse for bulk wine, but one producer is doing something deliciously unexpected with it.

So after all this self-induced emotional trauma, I sure was ready for some wine and a bite to eat.

Our affable host at J. Bouchon, Julio Bouchon Lyon, had a fresh cheese set out for us, drizzled with olive oil, and accompanied by a side of mildly spicy green chiles. Served with the 2011 J. Bouchon Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, it was a dynamite food and wine duo. There was a nice tangy taste to the soft cheese, great with the zesty Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. Coupled with the green chile, which added bit of, well, green veggie flavor that you find in Sauvignon Blanc, it was a perfect pairing.

And while I enjoy formal tastings, sometimes a more casual approach to wine can be just as instructive and even more memorable. With or without horseback riding.

Thanks to the steady, calm presence of Abigail Purcell of Bottlenotes for the photo of me and my equine friend.

Tags: chilean sauvignon blanc, horseback riding in chile, j. bouchon