One of the most popular varieties in the world and often a synonym for crisp dry white, is of course the Sauvignon Blanc. The grape is high in acidity and will display greenish herbaceous notes. The origin of the grape can be found in the southwest of France, where it remains popular in the Côtes de Gascogne, often in a blend with Colombard or Ugni Blanc. Where they will refer to the grape as just Sauvignon.
The best Sauvignons can be found a little up north in France, in the Loire Valley. Touraine will produce accessible Sauvignon, while the villages of Sancerre, Menetou- Salon and Pouilly- Fumé will produce a complex, elegant style, with added minerality. The Graves area of Bordeaux blends the Sauvignon with Sémillon to reach a rounder mouthfeel and the wines will have a touch of oak as well. The regions of Barsac and Sauternes are known for their liquorice dessert wines made of Sauvignon and Sémillon.
The new world has Sauvignon Blanc cultivated in Chile and South-Africa where the focus lies on aromas of gooseberry, freshly cut grass and even asparagus. The United States will often add some oak, in order to counter the higher acidity, here the grape is often called Fumé Blanc. The best new world country for Sauvignon will be New Zealand, where Sauvignon Blanc has put the wine region of Marlborough on the wine map of the world. Here aromas of kiwi fruit, passion fruit and white peach will be added to the existing greenish notes, making the Sauvignons from Marlborough very hard to miss in a tasting. In every Sauvignon in the world, recognizable aromas of boxwood and lime will serve as a red thread throughout all the wines.
Sauvignon Blanc, along with the Cabernet Franc, are the parents of the popular Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aromas
Recognizable aromas of lime, boxwood, fresh cut grass and minerality. Along with gooseberry, asparagus, and passion fruit. Aging on oak will add some vanilla.
Wine type
Fresh white wine
Colour
Medium yellow
Food Matching
Match a crisp Sauvignon Blanc with anything that has the same level of acidity or freshness. Think of a salad, filled with green beans, or baked lean white fish with lemon. Sauvignon will match very well with salted cheese such as feta, but even more with the specialty of the Loire Valley and that is the goats cheese, where the acidic levels of both the cheese and the wine will intertwine perfectly.
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