Having originated in the Bordeaux and Loire regions of France and having been grown there since at least the 16th century, Sauvignon Blanc today is cultivated and enjoyed throughout the world. It is a green-skinned grape that does best in cooler climates where nights are cool and days are sunny. While the exact number of white wine varietals is a subject of debate, many wine authorities would agree there are at least 600, with Sauvignon Blanc ranking as one of the most widely planted and produced. In fact, of all commercially planted grapes, both red and white, Sauvignon Blanc ranked 7th or 8th during recent years in terms of vineyard acres.
Sauvignon Blanc is a global palate-pleaser, offering a range of styles. It appears on almost all restaurant wine lists, is widely available at wine shops and is frequently offered as a wine choice at social and business functions, clubs and cocktail parties. Part of this likely has to do with price, as you can find a good bottle of Sauvignon Blanc priced from $15 to $25, all the way up to higher-priced offerings running over $60. But in my opinion, the more important factor in the success and love of Sauvignon Blanc is its stylistic diversity. Here are just three examples.
France: In the Loire Valley, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines (remember, in France, it’s the appellation name that is used, not the grape name) are crisp and mineral-driven with citrus and grassy notes. Producers rarely use oak aging during the vinification process, resulting in a wine that is fresh and bright and usually having a lighter body. These wines can be drunk young, certainly within a few years of release but some can also be aged for a number of years, producing more complex characteristics. Some of the highest-priced (and excellent) Sauvignon Blanc wines come from the Loire Valley region of France.
New Zealand: Perhaps the most distinctive, easy to identify Sauvignon Blanc is produced in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is truly vibrant, juicy and acidity-driven, with notes of grapefruit, tangy tropical fruits and herbs. Producers almost never use oak in the vinification process. Most would be described as light-to medium bodied. These are wines meant to be drunk young, usually within a couple years of release.
United States: Grown and produced in California and Washington State, along with some production in Oregon and even Texas, the majority come from Napa and Sonoma counties in California. There, Sauvignon Blanc producers create diverse wines, some similar in style to that of the Loire Valley but many add the use of oak in their vinification process. This results in wines with more body and a richer texture with tastes of riper tropical fruits. Most Sauvignon Blancs from California, regardless of style, are intended to be drunk within a few years of release, with only a small minority age-worthy.
So, there is likely a Sauvignon Blanc out there that will appeal to most white wine drinkers. Each to his or her own! There is no “right” or “best” wine.
Cheers!
-Submitted by: Jim Wolitarsky