Sauvignon Blanc
7/13/2024Sauvignon Blanc is a white-wine grape from western France, now successfully grown in emerging and established wine regions all over the world. The variety produces lightly colored, aromatic dry white wines with fresh acidity. Synonyms: Fumé Blanc, Sauvignon Bianco, Muskat-Silvaner, Muskat-Sylvaner.
Last updated 10-Jul-2024
Sun-kissed Sauvignon Blanc | © Patjo / shutterstock.com
Table of Contents
- Origins of Sauvignon Blanc
- Where is Sauvignon Blanc grown?
- Loire Valley, France
- Bordeaux, France
- New Zealand
- California, USA
- Sauvignon Blanc around the world
- Flavor profile
- Aroma
- Palate
- Suggested food pairings
- Most Popular Sauvignon Blanc Wine
Origins of Sauvignon Blanc
Origin stories for Sauvignon Blanc abound, although more recent theories put the variety as a cross between Traminer and Chenin Blanc, likely in the Loire Valley.
Nonetheless, the geographical spread and versatility of Sauvignon Blanc means that it is found in a range of styles, from classic dry white wines to; individual, highly aromatic international interpretations; to unctuously sweet, botrytised wines.
Where is Sauvignon Blanc grown?
There is still discussion as to Sauvignon Blanc's actual origins, with both Bordeaux and the Loire claiming to be the grape's homeland. The grape's versatility means its regions and styles are remarkably diverse, both within France and internationally.
Loire Valley, France
The Upper Loire regions of Sancerre and neighboring Pouilly-Fumé are, arguably, the iconic appellations for Sauvignon Blanc both in France and for wine lovers worldwide. While Bordeaux also claims the variety, it is (in keeping with the winemaking of the region) often made as part of a blended wine.
In the white wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, however, the grape appears alone, often seeing little to no oak, although top examples can undergo some oak aging.
Here, the wines are mineral, citrusy, steely, bright and reasonably long-lived. Pouilly-Fumé wines get their name from the characteristic smoky, gunflint aromas associated with the wines of the area – "Pouilly Fumé" means "smoked Pouilly" (these wines can also be labeled "Blanc Fumé de Pouilly", or Smoked White of Pouilly). This flinty aspect of the Sauvignon Blanc aroma is often found in Sancerre wines too and the smoky, flint aroma reportedly derives from the presence of high levels of chert (silica) in the local limestone soils.
Sauvignon Blanc wines from the Loire Valley
Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Jadis
Loire, France
$45
92 / 100
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Les Romains
Loire, France
$61
92 / 100
Domaine Vincent Pinard Sancerre Chene Marchand
Loire, France
$49
93 / 100
Furthermore, the smoky, gunflint note (in combination with toasty oak) provides the origin of the Fumé Blanc style of white wine established in California.
Sancerre and Pouilly boast some of the top Sauvignon Blanc domaines in the world, from Dagueneau in the village of St-Andelin (Pouilly-Fumé), to the likes of Vacheron, Mellot, Cotat and Bourgeois in and around Sancerre. Many produce a range of wines from generic, regional labels to site-specific cuvées.
View over Sauvignon Blanc vineyards to the town of Sancerre | ©Gregory Guivarch / www.shutterstock.com
Satellite appellations around Sancerre and Pouilly – Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Reuilly – in the Upper Loire also produce excellent (and often less expensive) lookalikes, with the white wines from these regions all uniquely Sauvignon Blanc. It should be pointed out, however, that the wines of the Pouilly-sur-Loire appellation (which covers the same area as that of Pouilly-Fumé) are white wines made from the Chasselas grape variety.
Further west, the broad Touraine region covers the Central Loire crossover between Sauvignon Blanc (generally found further east – it is, along with Sauvignon Gris, a principle grape in the Cheverny Valençay appellation) and Chenin Blanc, planted in the more western regions of Touraine before the Chenin heartlands of Anjou-Saumur beyond.
Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux vies with the Loire in claiming to be Sauvignon's homeland (its hallmark variety Cabernet Sauvignon is the offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc), however, it is relatively rare to find Bordeaux white wines that are 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
The famous Pavillon Blanc de Château Margaux wine is one of these rare, but notable, wines. Labeled in the 19th Century as "Château Margaux vin de sauvignon", this dry white, oak-aged wine is produced from an 11-hectare (27-acre) plot of Sauvignon Blanc on the Margaux estate, although it is only eligible for the broader Bordeaux classification.
Sauvignon Blanc wines from Bordeaux
Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux
Bordeaux, France
$327
94 / 100
Les Champs Libres Bordeaux Blanc
France
$87
93 / 100
Bordeaux, France
$13
87 / 100
In most cases, however, the prestigious white wines of Bordeaux are produced from blends of Sauvignon and Sémillon (sometimes with a little Muscadelle), most readily associated with the Pessac-Leognan and wider Graves appellations south of Bordeaux city. These wines are made with varying proportions of the two grapes and are generally fermented and/or aged in oak barriques, giving a signature texture and a mix of herbal and tropical fruit aromas.
In the wider Bordeaux region, dry white wines are made across the wider Entre-deux-Mers area and beyond. These can be blends aged in oak, mimicking the wines of the Graves or even straightforward, varietally labeled styles.
The hallmark stony soil of the Pessac-Leognan region | ©Syndicat Viticole de Pessac-Leognan
The other major incarnation of Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux (again, generally found in a blend with Sémillon) is in the sweet white, botrytised wines of Sauternes, Barsac (and their oft-overlooked neighbor, Cerons) and the similar wines made on the other side of the Gironde river in Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, Cadillac, and Loupiac. It should be noted, however, that for the most part, Semillon takes the leading role in these wines.
New Zealand
While the Loire and Bordeaux fight over the claim to Sauvignon's roots, New Zealand (and, in particular, the Marlborough region) has completely redefined the global standing of the variety. The rapid development of the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, from its infancy in the 1980s to global recognition within a decade or so, is one of the most dramatic events in the world of wine.
Producing highly pungent, idiosyncratic yet readily identifiable wines (tasting notes regularly cite gooseberries, cat's pee, grapefruit, blackberry leaf and passionfruit as classic aromas), Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, or "Savvy" as it is colloquially known in that part of the world, has captured a vast market around the globe, from the United States and Canada to the UK and northern Europe, Australia and Japan.
Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand
Marlborough, New Zealand
$23
91 / 100
Awatere Valley, New Zealand
$14
88 / 100
Marlborough, New Zealand
$53
96 / 100
Accounting for well over three-quarters of New Zealand's wine exports, Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand is, generally, produced with high yields and fermented and stored in stainless steel. Producers retain the grape's naturally high acidity and it is rare for commercial examples to undergo malolactic fermentation. The striking acidity of the variety is often counterbalanced with low to moderate levels of residual sugar.
Interestingly, the original plant material for much of the Sauvignon Blanc planted in Marlborough in the 1980s, 90s and today traces its way via Australia and the University of California, Davis. This latter institution sourced their rootstock from Wente Vineyards (the cuttings were taken by legendary grape breeder, Dr Harold Olmo, in 1958) who got theirs from a vineyard established in the late 19th Century with cuttings from top Sauternes estate, Château d'Yquem.
Sauvignon Blanc vineyard in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough region | ©Heike Richter / www.shutterstock.com
California, USA
Meanwhile, the Fumé Blanc style of wine, established by Robert Mondavi in California, sees Sauvignon Blanc fermented and aged in oak – a nod to the smoky, gunflint aromas of the upper Loire, and Pouilly-Fumé in particular. The style has also travelled internationally and numerous producers worldwide make and label oak-aged Sauvignon as their "Fumé Blanc".
Sauvignon Blanc wines from California
Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc
Oakville, USA
$3,838
93 / 100
Arrow and Branch Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley, USA
$57
91 / 100
Dragonette Cellars Grimm's Bluff Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
Happy Canyon, USA
$54
92 / 100
Sauvignon Blanc around the world
The success of varietally produced New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in export markets worldwide has led many countries and regions to mirror the no-oak, high acid, pungent aromatics of Marlborough. Chile (particularly the Casablanca and San Antonio valleys) and South Africa produce noted examples.
Even in Australia the variety can thrive in the cooler coastal areas of the south while in Europe, more commercially-minded regions have adopted the New Zealand model (albeit to varying degrees - there is, after all, little that is revolutionary in fermenting Sauvignon Blanc in stainless steel). Aping a more Bordeaux style of barrel fermented dry white wines, the pairing of Sauvignon and Sémillon has become the staple white blend in Australia's Margaret River region.
Aerial shot of Margaret River vineyards | ©Aurelien Danien / www.shutterstock.com
In Europe, the cool, sunny sub-alpine slopes of Alto Adige and Friuli in northern Italy produce high quality Sauvignon Blanc, which is used in blends with native varieties like Friulano or on its own. In Spain, the variety is sometimes encountered in the white wines of Rueda, as the variety has remarkably similar qualities to the local Verdejo.
In the vineyard
A relatively robust, vigorous vine (which explains its popularity with viticulturists), Sauvignon adapts readily to all kinds of growing environments. Because it ripens early, it can be grown in relatively cool climates – its Loire homeland being the most obvious example – while its naturally high acidity allows it to retain a level of freshness even in warmer areas.
However, to achieve the true, forward zing that best characterizes Sauvignon Blanc wine, a cooler terroir is needed, ideally with persistent bright sunshine and a dry harvest period.
Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon is also the parent of Bordeaux stalwart, the dark-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon. They are both vigorous growers that produce generous yields and are inclined to produce overly dense canopies in cooler climates.
Both parent and offspring have now become two of the most widely planted vine varieties in the world.
Flavor profile
The key selling point of Sauvignon Blanc is its straightforwardness – the flavors are rarely hidden away in the background. Also, there is a particularly close correlation between the perceived flavors and their descriptors, making Sauvignon Blanc an ideal wine with which to begin wine-tasting lessons. Wines are generally quite clear and bright, although more aged examples may develop more of a golden hue.
Aroma
Classic Sauvignon Blanc aromas range from grass, nettles and asparagus to green apples and gooseberries, and to more esoteric notes such as blackcurrant leaf and gunflint. The latter is a sign of a wine from Pouilly-Fumé.
In New World regions and warmer climates, aromas can push into more tropical areas, and include grapefruit, mango and carambola (star fruit).
Thiols (such as 4-methyl-4-mercaptopentan-2-one, or 4-MMP) and methoxpyrazines (associated with green, bell pepper notes) are generally credited with giving Sauvignon Blanc its somewhat unique green, grassy, aromas, especially in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
Palate
Sauvignon Blanc produces wines with a light to medium body and high acid levels with moderate alcohol. It is generally held that producers wishing to increase complexity will need to do work in the vineyard to restrict yields and, alongside this, lees stirring (bâttonage) may give additional body to the wines.
In more commercial, early-release examples, the high, lingering acidity is often counterbalanced by low to moderate levels of residual sugar.
Suggested food pairings
- Broad Bean & Chèvre Salad
- Grilled Asparagus with Hollandaise
- Bluff Oysters with Dill & Lime Vinaigrette