Refreshing, Spectacular Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular white wines in the world. It’s grown seemingly everywhere that great wine is made, and is produced in a range of styles, from crisp and citrus-driven to richer and with more tropical fruit. Most of them, however, share a few important characteristics: mouthwatering acidity, food-friendliness, citrus fruit, an herbal or vegetal lift, and, in general, a spectacular value.
What is Sauvignon Blanc?
Sauvignon Blanc is the name of the grape variety, as well as the wine that’s produced from it. Wines produced from the grape have become so popular that they’ve even earned their own unique set of nicknames, including Sauv Blanc, Sauvy B, and more. In France’s Loire Valley, wines labeled Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are by law 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Bordeaux Blanc, or white Bordeaux, also relies heavily on Sauvignon Blanc, typically blended with a grape called Semillon.
Where does Sauvignon Blanc come from?
All Sauvignon Blanc wine comes from the Sauvignon Blanc grape variety. In terms of where the grapes are grown, it’s all over the map. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is among the most popular, as is California Sauvignon Blanc, but phenomenal Sauvignon Blanc is also produced in Chile, Italy, France, and beyond.
How is Sauvignon Blanc made?
Sauvignon Blanc is produced like all dry wine—the grapes are harvested and then selected for quality before being crushed. The juice is then fermented into wine. However, Sauvignon Blanc is a key component in the great French sweet wine called Sauternes, which is made by allowing the grapes to become covered with a beneficial fungus called Botrytis. Botrytis makes the resulting wine—often blended with a grape variety called Semillon—rich, honeyed, and kissed with notes of mushroom. Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc is also increasingly popular in New Zealand, and each producer follows either a classic Champagne method of production, where the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle or one called “Charmat,” where the secondary fermentation that makes the wine sparkling occurs in a large pressurized stainless-steel tank. When people ask are there different styles of Sauvignon Blanc, the answer is a hearty yes.
What is the difference between a Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc?
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are two different grape varieties. In general, Chardonnay tends to have flavors in the apple and melon end of the spectrum, whereas Sauvignon Blanc tends more towards grapefruit and tropical fruit. (Still, ripe Chardonnay is also often tropical.) Also, generally and with some exceptions, Chardonnay tends to be made in a richer style than Sauvignon Blanc, which often focuses on the crispness of the grape. But there are certain wines made from each grape variety that exhibit characteristics of the other. A lot of it depends on how and where the grapes are grown, and the techniques that the winemaker uses to craft and age the wine.
How do you serve Sauvignon Blanc?
Sauvignon Blanc is best served chilled. How cold it should be is determined by how rich a style it is: lighter-bodied ones are best straight from the fridge, whereas richer ones are best enjoyed with slightly less of a chill.
What does Sauvignon Blanc go with?
Classic pairings for Sauvignon Blanc include fish and seafood, pasta dishes with vegetables, and goat cheese. Sauvignon Blanc is truly one of the most versatile white wines in the world to pair with food.
Is Sauvignon Blanc sweet or dry?
In general, Sauvignon Blanc is dry, but it can be made into a sweet wine, most famously in France’s Sauternes, as well as on the North Fork of Long Island.
Is Sauvignon Blanc a good wine?
Yes, very much so! In general, Sauvignon Blanc has found a wide audience around the world because very high-quality bottles of it are easy to find and don’t require spending a lot of money at all.
Is Sauvignon Blanc red or white?
Sauvignon Blanc is a white grape variety, and the wines produced from it are white in color.
What are popular brands of Sauvignon Blanc?
Kim Crawford and Whitehaven are popular Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, Duckhorn is a great one from California, Bougrier makes a standout one in the Loire Valley of France, Yellow Tail makes a popular Australian one—the list could stretch on for miles!
Browse our full selection of Sauvignon Blanc wine online or check out our selection of highly-rated Sauvignon Blanc wine for a great new wine to try this week!
Want to learn more about Sauvignon Blanc wine?
Visit our Guide to Sauvignon Blanc wine to learn more about wine crafted from Sauvignon Blanc.
