Master of Wine Discusses Sauvignon Blanc

In this video, Bob Paulinski, Master of Wine will discuss Sauvignon Blanc. Covered will be everything that you need to know about SB, including where it’s grown, what are the various styles, what you can expect in your wine glass, followed by a tasting of four different examples SB from around the world that show the variation from place to place. I also have some freshly picked SB grape clusters to discuss as well. One of the world’s most broadly planted wine grape varieties. I did a quick count on a world map, I stopped counting at 30 different countries.

The origins are a bit sketchy but the historical benchmark standard is Loire Valley in France, most commonly with Sancerre and Pouilly Fume where its produced as a single grape variety wine. But its also common in Bordeaux, in wines like Graves and Pessac Leognan and alike. There, it’s usually blended with Semillon, sometimes other grape varieties as well. Some being oak aged. These tend to be longer lived. Also occasionally, dessert style, but Sauvignon Blanc is a unusually supporting role. Also, Sauvignon Blanc has a hand in one of the great red wines, it along with Cabernet Franc provide the parentage for Cabernet Sauvignon, noted similarity of naturally occurring methoxypyrazine.
Neck and neck with France in terms of SB plantings is NZ. Over the last 25 years or so, it’s come on strong, especially for SB and for many it’s become the benchmark standard, specifically those from Marlborough.

A few other well-known places, Chile, Australia, Italy, Spain, South Africa and the US, primarily CA and WA. In CA, there is a noteworthy version of SB to mention. Sometimes it’s called Fume Blanc. A term coined by Robert Mondavi in the 1960s. It’s not a defined term, it loosely applied to oak aged SB, Today, the term is occasionally still used, some being oak aged, others not.

The styles can vary tremendously. Speaking broadly, the wines are aromatic with a good deal of primary fruit, citrus, guava, mango, passionfruit, herbal dill, tarragon, sometimes fresh mowed grass aroma. The acidity is often bright and zesty. The alcohol is moderate, rarely above 13.5%. They are usually not oak aged, at least not with overt oak. With few exceptions, they are best within three years of the vintage. Many will be under a screwcap all the better.

For the wineries, they love it. The wines are ready for the market within several months of the fruit being picked. Most won’t see any oak at all, which is costly. There’s no waiting for years from the time the fruit is picked to the time it’s in your wine glass. Vigorous vines, high yields can still bring good quality. Three clusters weigh about 1lb 4oz or about 600grams that would enough juice for about one half of a standard bottle of wine.

SAUVIGNON BLANC BASED WINES RECENTLY TASTED: look for the most current vintage, three years old or less
2022 Yali Flying Swan, Central Valley Chile - $5 (tasted in this video)
2022 Babich Marborough -$10
2022 Dry Creek Vineyards Fume Blanc $14
2022 Cottesbrook Marlborough - $14 (tasted in this video)
2022 Netthingshof Stellenbosch $15 (tasted in the video)
2022 Chateau Bonnet Entre-deux-Mers $15
2022 Tapi Marlborough $20 - Outstanding!
2022 Greywacke Marlborough $24
2021 Domaine Riffault "Cortem a batis" Sancerre $30 (2020 tasted in this video, I've not yet tasted the 2021)
2021 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre $50

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