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Wine variety Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most widespread in the world: the number of plantings of this vine is estimated at tens of thousands of hectares. More popular among white species is only Chardonnay.
France, in particular the Loire Valley, is considered the birthplace of the famous grape, and the lesser-known light varieties Traminer and Chenin Blanc are the progenitors.
You can meet Sauvignon plantations not only in Europe, but also in Australia, America, New Zealand and even Africa.
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Characteristic of the Sauvignon Blanc variety
The original name of the variety is Sauvignon blanc. It is believed that it came from the word “sauvage”, which means “wild” in translation.
In different regions, the vine is called by its own names (Beyaz Sauvignon, Blanc doux, Blanc Fumé, Bordeaux bianco, etc.), in which the word “white” is necessarily present in the local sound.
The vine has several mutations: Sauvignon Gris (aka Sauvignon Rose), Sauvignon Noir and Sauvignon Violet, which differ in fruit color and flavor characteristics. However, they are little known and not particularly popular.
The prevalence of this grape is explained simply: Sauvignon Blanc is quite unpretentious, but at the same time it produces excellent fresh fruit wines that are easy to drink and harmonize perfectly with almost any food.
Drinks made from classic grapes are especially good in summer.
In different regions, Sauvignon behaves and reveals itself in its own way, creating new shades of flavors and aromas.
However, the following features are common to all varieties:
The brushes have a strictly cylindrical shape with a snug fit of berries to one another.
The vine belongs to the tree category and withstands low temperatures well. In hot countries, the variety does not perform well and becomes capricious.
Small fruits are characterized by an elongated shape and a soft golden color: from pale straw to bright yellow.
Berries ripen late and produce a moderate amount of juice.
Grapes grow best in limestone soils. Only young vines are suitable for harvesting.
In aged wines, regardless of the area of production, specific tart notes of red currant and gooseberry appear with a pronounced sourness. For young people, shades of freshly cut greens are more characteristic.
Growing regions and taste characteristics
The best producers of drinks from Sauvignon are located in its homeland, in France, where elite wines with an exquisite bouquet are made from golden fruits.
Not everyone can appreciate such instances, since they often contain not the most pleasant notes.
Among wine experts, a special tasting term has even been introduced to characterize the noble wines from Sauvignon, which sounds like “pipi de chat”. It means nothing more than “cat urine”.
But it’s all frills! For the average consumer, drinks from Sauvignon are associated with aromas of citrus, meadow herbs, green berries, paprika, fresh currant leaves, moderate minerality and a slight smoky aftertaste.
However, products from different regions have their own specifics.
French wines
Refers to the classic, reference products from Sauvignon. They are characterized by a pronounced “fruity” taste and a predominance of citrus tones.
The main suppliers are the wine-growing areas of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, located in the central part of France on the banks of the Loire.
Good drinks are made in Saint-Brie: here they are more affordable, although they are almost as good as the famous Loire drinks.
The variety is also used to create wines in the vicinity of Bordeaux: here it is usually included in blends.
The most famous are sweet dessert drinks made from raisined grapes with mold – sauternes.
Dry Bordeaux wines from Sauvignon are good in the Graves, Entre-Deux-Mers and Pessac-Léognan regions.
Among worthy French manufacturers: Michel Reddeetfils, Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte.
Drinks from the New World
South Africa, the USA, New Zealand, Argentina and other countries have exotic shades: the basis of the taste is peach, melon, pineapple, lychee, passion fruit.
In hot climates, Sauvignon ripens better, but at the same time loses its freshness, herbaceousness and “smokyness”.
In Africa, the grapes are grown in cooler regions, producing light, fruity wines with hay aromas.
Products from Australia and California are characterized by oiliness and some heaviness of the bouquet, which is largely due to the long aging in oak.
Wines from the USA have similar qualities, from where the “fashion” for storage in a tree began.
New Zealand examples of Sauvignon have become notorious for their “exuberant” temper: local winemakers were deceived in their best expectations when they tried to create elegant, restrained drinks like the Loire
. In fact, the bouquet turned out to be rich, bright and wayward.
European wines
Sauvignon is made in Italy, Germany and Austria, more like French examples: these fresh, light, elegant drinks are good for daily consumption, especially in the heat.
Sauvignon shows similar qualities in Slavic wineries in Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, as well as in Moldovan and Romanian producers.
Nuances in the production of wine
Wines from the golden variety are successful both young and mature, but in the latter case they require caution.
The main rule that all winemakers working with Sauvignon try to follow is moderation of aging, especially when it comes to oak.
The fact is that, having overexposed the drink, you can get tasteless and slightly aromatic products that are of little use for tasting.
Most producers try to use neutral containers for storage and not get carried away with the duration of maturation.
It is not recommended to keep Sauvignon for more than three years, so as not to lose the varietal aroma, its inherent minerality and pleasant sourness.
How to drink wine from Sauvignon Blanc
Drinks from the Sauvignon Blanc variety are good for their unpretentiousness in the choice of gastronomic pairs.
Suitable for them are seafood, fish of all kinds, vegetable snacks, salads, white meats, cheeses and soups.
Creamy sauces and asparagus dishes are a good addition.
Before serving, the wine must be thoroughly cooled – to 10-12 ° C.
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Relevance: 05.11.2018
Tags: Wine and vermouth, Wine by grape variety