Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a white grape variety famous for producing dry refreshing wines with bright acidity and distinct aromas. It is native to the Loire Valley in France where it is still grown successfully with its best expressions being produced in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Internationally, Sauvignon Blanc wines coming out of New Zealand- especially in the Marlborough region- are also achieving high reputation and were originally responsible for putting New Zealand on the map as a producer of high-quality wine.
This wine is widely popular around the world and is well known for its good quality, as it is rarely produced as a high-volume inexpensive wine. Regions that are classic producers of this wine also include South Africa and Chile, especially Casablanca and San Antonio Valley, both producing fresh and fruity expressions.
Wine profile and winemaking techniques
Sauvignon Blanc is an aromatic grape variety and is usually fermented in inert vessels like stainless steel tanks to preserve its aromas and freshness. There are some examples of oaked Sauvignon Blanc though, in regions like California where it is called Fumé Blanc. This style can potentially be found in New Zealand as well. In France, there are also a few producers in the Loire Valley that mature this wine in old oak barrels and keep it on the lees (dead yeast) to give it a rounder texture.
In its renowned regions, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, Sauvignon Blanc is usually produced as an elegant dry medium-bodied wine with pronounced aromas of green apple, asparagus, and a bit of wet stones. In New Zealand, it is usually more powerful and vibrant with strong aromas of gooseberry, elderflower, grapefruit, passion fruit and herbaceous notes of fresh cut grass.
Sauvignon Blanc is generally produced as a single varietal although it is sometimes used in a blend where it can contribute acidity and aromas to the wine. The most famous blend is in Bourdeaux, particularly Pessac-Léognan where the grape is usually blended with the Semillon grape. In this region, the wine is mostly premium and dry and usually fermented and matured in oak barrels resulting in complex and rich nutty flavors. Margaret River in Australia also frequently blends it with Semillon in addition to producing it as high-quality single varietal wine.
Generally, Sauvignon Blanc grapes thrive in cool climate regions that preserve their naturally high acidity. These wines are often drunk young to enjoy what they are famous for: intense primary fresh fruit aromas and piercing high acidity.