Discovering the Delights of Sauvignon Blanc: A Guide for Wine Lovers
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular wines in the world, and there are a lot of different ways to describe it. This noble grape is thought to have come from the Loire, but some people think it came from Bordeaux.
As always, everything depends on the terroir and the way the wine is made, but there are some organoleptic qualities that make it easy to spot a good Sauvignon Blanc.
What hasn’t changed is Sauvignon Blanc’s undeniable personality, its pungent aromatic charm matched by an appetizing minerality, making it ideal to accompany a variety of dishes, particularly vegetarian ones, but it also pairs well with a salmon fillet with asparagus and mushrooms.
Sauvignon Blanc’s organoleptic characteristics
The aromas of green olive, pepper, fennel, capers, celery, and thyme are due to pyrazines that form in the clusters of Sauvignon Blanc.
If the grapes were picked at the right time, these green scents would be mature and in balance, and they would blend well into a complex bouquet. If the grapes weren’t picked at the right time, the wine could be too strong, with unpleasant and aggressive vegetal notes ruining it.
Sauvignon Blanc’s bouquet
Green perfumes sit alongside memories of lily of the valley and bergamot and a symphony of fruits like lime, tangerine, green apple, banana, melon, guava, and grapefruit in sequence. Passion fruit, papaya, and lychee are three tropical scents that come out in wines that are grown in cold places, like New Zealand.
What does Sauvignon Blanc taste like?
good minerality, freshness, and aromatic depth. Young wines that haven’t been aged in wood have green notes of aromatic herbs like sage, thyme, and marjoram, citrus, a light body, and tasty almond notes. Those aged in wood develop roundness and a certain fattiness; the scents are mature and veer towards caramelized citrus peel, dried fruit, baked apples, and, of course, figs.
Sauvignon Blanc’s areas of production
The areas where it finds its natural habitat are in the native Loire, especially near Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire, famous for its Pouilly-Fumé. Sauvignon blanc is produced in purity and is rarely aged in wood, according to disciplinary standards. Its extraordinary minerality gives birth to wines of great depth, characterized by fresh notes of lime and grapefruit.
Another historic area for Sauvignon is Bordeaux, where Sauvignon Blanc is vinified in blends with Semillion to produce sweet wines like Sauternes. Here, Sauvignon changes face, and the flavor is round and rich due to the maturation in oak: the fruit turns yellow and increases the complexity of the wine.
In Italy, Sauvignon Blanc grows well on the marl and sandstone hills of Gorizia’s Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli. There, it and Friulano are the most popular wines, making Friuli a must-see place for Sauvignon Blanc and white wine fans.
The good and fleshy Sauvignon Blancs from Terlano, in South Tyrol, are often served with local asparagus to create a phenomenal pairing.
Finally, do not miss out on the opportunity to taste some Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, especially from the area of Marlborough, where we can find bottles that combine amazing freshness with a sumptuous tropical richness.
Serving temperature of Sauvignon Blanc
Serve the Sauvignon in a tulip-shaped glass at a temperature of 10–12 degrees. Wood-aged wines that have been around for a few years need a few more degrees to bring out their roundness and depth. The most important things about a good Sauvignon are its acidity, taste, and smell, so play with the temperature to fix flaws or bring out certain qualities. Serve it colder to underline the freshness or warmer to highlight the aromas.
Suggested food pairings
Take it easy and pair it with simple seafood dishes, grilled vegetables, vegan delicacies, paella, spaghetti with clams, chicken tikka masala, Chicken Cacciatore, Vitello Tonnato, truffle risotto, pasta alla carbonara.