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Sauvignon Blanc competes with Chardonnay for the mantle of the world’s most popular white wine. The white noble grape is native to the central French region of Loire where cool continental climes and granite sand soils make for a perfumed and fruity white wine with mineral touches.
The appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are adored for sublime aromatic and smokey styles while neighbouring Bordeaux crushes the grape to make dry and sweet wines, some barrel aged.
around the world
Sauvignon Blanc is originally French but has a ubiquitous presence in the wine world with vineyards carpeting vast regions in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, America and Chile.
New Zealand’s Marlborough region is renowned for its “Savvy” expression. The region’s cool climate complimented by copious sunlight conspire to make an overtly fruity style.
South Africa’s windswept Western Cape bottles a distinctive herbaceous ‘Sav Blanc’.
Tastes Like
Classic Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc is delectably aromatic, beaming with notes of grapefruit and gooseberry, good acidity and clean finish while New Zealand ‘Savvy’ is vinous equivalent of an extrovert, bursting with an intensely fruity nose, followed by concentrated flavours and crisp acidity.
On the palate
Sauvignon Blanc crackles with a pleasing balance of ripe fruit, bell pepper and cut grass with refreshing acidity, finishing clean.
Pairing Recommendations
This quintessential white wine lends itself to a wide platter of oriental cuisines and its generous acidity is also a good foil for spicy Indian and Thai curries.
key styles
Loire Valley lives up to the reputation of being Sauvignon Blanc’s birthplace with Pouilly-Fumé considered the gold standard with smokey and mineral notes.
New Zealand’s Marlborough and Hawkes Bay have changed the way the world views and drinks Sauvignon Blanc with an overtly fruity style
Bordeaux, California and Australia’s Adelaide Hills make an interesting oak matured style which has its niche of enthusiasts.
