Grape Varieties > Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine grape variety from western France which is now successfully grown in emerging and established wine regions all over the world. While the grape may be more readily associated with the Loire Valley (for its pivotal role in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume), it is more likely to have originated from Bordeaux, where it is typically blended with Semillon to produce both fine dry wines (Graves) and the great sweet wines of Sauterne and Barsac.
This is a grape characterised by its aroma and its refreshingly fruit acidity. If it is picked too late, it loses both acidity and the all-important pungent, grassy, leafy aroma that can vary from cat's pee to nettles to gooseberries. (This means that it can be difficult to make lively Sauvignon Blanc in hot climates). On the other hand, if the grapes are grown somewhere too cool, or are loaded with too heavy a crop, that characteristic leafiness, closely associated with compounds known as methoxyprazines, will be excessive. For Sauvignon vines are notable for being much more interested in growing new leaves and shoots than in ripening grapes. They need a stern hand and, often, severe canopy management, training the vine to achieve a perfect balance between green parts and fruit.
Sauvignon Blanc is naturally a very distinctive white grape, with a tangy, zesty taste and a characteristic sharp aroma. It is produced in a number of wine growing regions and varies according to where it is grown. In the Loire tends to have a big splash of minerality and strong grassy, gooseberry aromas. It has another highly successful sphere of influence which extends from Friuli in north-east Italy eastwards through Slovenia and Styria in souther Austria. Here piercingly clean, racy wines are made and the best producers are managing to make them more interesting with every vintage. The German synonym for Sauvignon Blanc is Muskat-Silvaner.
New world versions, particularly from New Zealand and Chile, are usually citrussy, with more of a tropical edge; but as the vine moves into even cooler spots in Australia, it evolves into a much more refreshing, crisp style. South Africa can produce some surprisingly elegant Sauvignon Blanc for such low latitude vineyards (here there is a tradition of blending it with Chardonnay). Californian Sauvignon Blanc (aka Fume Blanc) is often aged in oak to add more body to the wine.
It being fairly acidic, is one of the most versatile white wines for food matching. Team it with oily fish or seafood and the flavours of the wine will work wonders in accentuating the oils in the fish. Alternatively, serve it with dishes based around rich sauces, cheese or tomatoes (such as goat's cheese, asparagus and pesto).
Sources:
- Jancis Robinson
- wine-searcher
- Virgin Wines
- Image: Sauvignon blanc vlasotince vineyards
Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine grape variety from western France which is now successfully grown in emerging and established wine regions all over the world. While the grape may be more readily associated with the Loire Valley (for its pivotal role in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume), it is more likely to have originated from Bordeaux, where it is typically blended with Semillon to produce both fine dry wines (Graves) and the great sweet wines of Sauterne and Barsac.
This is a grape characterised by its aroma and its refreshingly fruit acidity. If it is picked too late, it loses both acidity and the all-important pungent, grassy, leafy aroma that can vary from cat's pee to nettles to gooseberries. (This means that it can be difficult to make lively Sauvignon Blanc in hot climates). On the other hand, if the grapes are grown somewhere too cool, or are loaded with too heavy a crop, that characteristic leafiness, closely associated with compounds known as methoxyprazines, will be excessive. For Sauvignon vines are notable for being much more interested in growing new leaves and shoots than in ripening grapes. They need a stern hand and, often, severe canopy management, training the vine to achieve a perfect balance between green parts and fruit.
Sauvignon Blanc is naturally a very distinctive white grape, with a tangy, zesty taste and a characteristic sharp aroma. It is produced in a number of wine growing regions and varies according to where it is grown. In the Loire tends to have a big splash of minerality and strong grassy, gooseberry aromas. It has another highly successful sphere of influence which extends from Friuli in north-east Italy eastwards through Slovenia and Styria in souther Austria. Here piercingly clean, racy wines are made and the best producers are managing to make them more interesting with every vintage. The German synonym for Sauvignon Blanc is Muskat-Silvaner.
New world versions, particularly from New Zealand and Chile, are usually citrussy, with more of a tropical edge; but as the vine moves into even cooler spots in Australia, it evolves into a much more refreshing, crisp style. South Africa can produce some surprisingly elegant Sauvignon Blanc for such low latitude vineyards (here there is a tradition of blending it with Chardonnay). Californian Sauvignon Blanc (aka Fume Blanc) is often aged in oak to add more body to the wine.
It being fairly acidic, is one of the most versatile white wines for food matching. Team it with oily fish or seafood and the flavours of the wine will work wonders in accentuating the oils in the fish. Alternatively, serve it with dishes based around rich sauces, cheese or tomatoes (such as goat's cheese, asparagus and pesto).
Sources:
- Jancis Robinson
- wine-searcher
- Virgin Wines
- Image: Sauvignon blanc vlasotince vineyards
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