Sauvignon Blancs From
Around the World
Few wines are more appropriate for
celebrating the arrival of spring than Sauvignon Blanc. With its light, crisp texture, bracing fruit and herbaceousness, the wine is a perfect spring quaff and
often a great pair with the fresh greens and light fish dishes of the season.
Though, the wonderful thing about Sauvignon Blanc is that my description is by
necessity just a generalization; in fact, Sauvignon Blanc is an international
varietal of the highest caliber, displaying myriad differences from country to
country, producer to producer.
California
In the 1980's, when a health
conscious and "light" minded public called out for easy drinking, racy wine to
match their new wave lifestyle, Sauvignon Blanc stepped in. In an era where
crisp and new were all the rage, brilliant marketing by the likes of Robert
Mondavi made Sauvignon Blanc the drink of the decade. Stylistically and by
design, it came to represent quintessence of modernity, even more so than
Crystal Pepsi! Plantings increased exponentially over the course of the decade
and after, resulting in the planting of some 13,000 acres by 2004. Like all
things Californian, the state's Sauvignon Blancs defy a label. Some are
aggressively grassy, others honied and almost sweet.
Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc 2006, $7.99
Honig Sauvignon Blanc 2006, $16.99Honig Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc 2005, $27.99Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $21.99Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2006, $29.99
Selene Hyde Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2005, $31.99
New Zealand
This nation is probably the only
one in the world which has latched onto Sauvignon Blanc as its primary wine
grape. As of 2006 nearly 40% of the country's 22,000 hectares under vine was
planted to Sauvignon Blanc, leaving second place Chardonnay far behind. New
Zealand is also the first country to hitch its wagon to the "Stelvin" enclosure,
more commonly known as the "screwcap"-- as of 2007, two thirds of kiwi wine is
sealed without cork.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is
decidedly more aggressive than others, often characterized as rich in lychee,
herbs, and, believe it or not, cat pee. It is these unique characteristics that
have made NZ Svb the darling white of the wine world. Below are a few of our
favorites.
New Harbor Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $12.99Lobster Key Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $18.99Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2006, $31.99Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc 2006, $14.99Babich Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $14.99Matua Estate Paratai Sauvignon Blanc 2006, $21.99Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $19.99French
The home of Sauvignon Blanc, France
is host to several different regions that call the grape their own. All over the
country, Sauvignon Blanc is grown in a variety of soils, leading to a variety of
styles unusual in the world of wine.
Bordeaux
The likely birthplace of the grape,
Bordeaux is home to its most neutral incarnation. Where the New World throws
about the grape's bright fruit possibilities, in Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc is
often light flavored but full bodied, expressing notes of straw and herbs on the
nose. Understated is not always bad, however, as white Bordeaux's dry and
neutral character make it an easy go-to pair with most any meal and unlikely to
offend even the most picky of drinkers.
Chateaux Margaux Pavillon Blanc 2003, $84.99
Chateau Chavrignac Bordeaux Blanc 2006, $18.99 Chateau Haut Rian Bordeux Sec 2006, $11.99
Loire
Where white Bordeaux is full and
neutral, the Sauvignon Blanc of the Loire valley is light and stoney. The
particular soil composition of the Loire valley yields Sauvignon Blancs of the
most wirey disposition, terse and dry with schist, granite and citrus fruit the
name of the game. These wines, from Sancerre to Pouilley Fuisse to Quincy are
classic pairs with shellfish, their extremely bright acidity and sharp mineral
presence making the perfect foil to raw oysters and steamed clams alike.
Domaine Bellevue Touraine 2007, $10.99
Domaine De Chevilly Quincy 2006, $15.99
Burgundy
Though the central France region of
Burgundy is most renowned for its Chardonnay, a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc
is grown. The appellation of Saint Bris, near about the well known town of
Chablis, was fully established with AOC status as a premier Sauvignon growing
region in 2003.
$12.99Other Locations:
International popularity and impressive productivity
have made Sauvignon Blanc a favorite in some of the most unlikely winegrowing
regions. In northwest Italy, renowned Barolo producer Angelo Gaja has
experimented with the varietal, producing one of the fullest, most mineralic
expressions Italy has ever seen in the form of Gaja Alteni di Brassica. In eastern Europe Sauvignon Blanc has established a foothold and is now one
of the region's most widely planted grapes. The Republic of Moldova, once known
as the "wine basket" of the USSR for its highly productive vineyards, is now
home to myriad examples of well known varietals such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, and of course, Sauvignon Blanc. Graystone Sauvignon Blanc
from Chisnau is a great example of the cool climate style, displaying melon,
guava and grain on the nose with a full body and flavorful palate
profile thanks to continuous lees contact. Graystone Sauvignon Blanc 2005 $10.99
Perhaps Sauvignon Blanc's greatest success story outside of New Zealand is in
the Stellenbosch region of South Africa. Finding that Chardonnay proved
difficult to grow in the nation's hot climate, growers began experimenting with
the varietal early on in the nation's viticultural history. By 1990 there
was more Sauvignon Blanc grown there even than its more popular offspring,
Cabernet Sauvignon. South African Sauvignon Blancs bear a certain resemblance to
those of New Zealand, though less over the top in the lychee and 'cat pee'
characteristics often attributed to the latter. A few of our favorites include
Ken Forrester 2007, Springfield Estate Special Cuvee 2006, and Sauvignon
Republic Cellars 2006. Ken Forrester Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $14.99
Springfield Estate Special Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc 2006 $17.99
Sauvignon Republic Cellars Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2006 $17.99
Buy 6 -11 bottles and receive a 10% discount at check out or buy 12 or more bottles and receive 15% off!
Cheers,The WineSpecialist.com
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