Before my days as a devoted mother of the most precious baby girl in the world, it was not unusual to find me (after work, of course) planted on a barstool somewhere around town. Yes, a social creature was I, and quite a thirsty one, too. Especially in hot weather. There is almost nothing more refreshing to me than an icy cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc. (For all of you too-technical wine enthusiasts, I know that when white wines are too cold you don't experience the full range of flavors, but with temperatures hitting the high 90s, who cares?) In my opinion, there are few varietals that offer as much delightfully crisp and tangy flavor no matter where in the world it comes from.
In France, Sauvignon Blanc is very widely grown. In Bordeaux, these wines are blended with Semillon and aged in oak. This style of Sauvignon Blanc is quite rich, but also full of mineral notes. Get your wallet out if you want to try one of these. At about $75 a bottle, the 1995 Chateau de Fieuzal Blanc is a favorite of mine, though not very often. From the Loire Valley, I'm a big fan of the Pascal Jolivet Sancerre ($20). It's crisp and acidic, with lots of citrusy, grassy notes.
New Zealand has really made a big splash in the wine world with Sauvignon Blanc. In a blind tasting, I'd peg one of these wines in a second. Pretty much across the board, New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are bone dry, but with unbelievably tangy citrus (usually grapefruit) flavors and fresh, light and delicate, almost floral aromas. The wine that put New Zealand on the map is the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc ($22) from the Marlborough region. The 2005 vintage is really outstanding: fresh and herbal with a hint of ginger spice and with lots of citrus character. This one is usually hard to get your hands on, so if you see it, you simply must buy it.
California offers much to the Sauvignon Blanc fan. Wines called "Fume Blanc" are indeed Sauvignon Blanc, but are oak-aged and reminiscent of French wines, namely those from the Pouilly-Fume area of the Loire. Murphy-Goode Fume Blanc ($12) is a great example of this style. It is delicate and fresh with tropical and citrus notes. If you see the Murphy-Goode Fume Blanc "The Deuce" you may want to give it a try, too. This one, however, will be a good bit more expensive and is aged in French Oak, resulting in a very rich, full-bodied wine. A completely different animal.
South Africa may not be the first place you think of for this varietal, but they are coming out with fantastic stuff. A relatively new one to our area is the Alexanderfontein Sauvignon Blanc (about $15). This one is bone dry, yet full of flavor and some interesting mineral notes. I really like this one.
If you're looking for something that's easy on the pocketbook, you need to look to South America. Chile makes really tasty un-oaked Sauvignon Blancs. Aresti (about $8) is one of the best ones out there. This is a great one for a summer party—really crisp and fresh.
Sauvignon Blanc is a great wine to serve, really, at any party. With rich cheeses, this style of wine is perfect because the high acid content really cuts through the fattiness. Since these wines tend to be on the lighter side, they won't overpower most simple hors d'oeuvres. I have found that, when served to a larger group, Sauvignon Blanc seems to appeal to pretty much anyone who enjoys white wine.
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