Sauvignon Blanc has been a misunderstood grape varietal in the US despite its attention as the social beverage of choice. It is an articulate white wine with an aromatic identity and freshness that is unmistakeable. It has an inherent ability to transcend global borders with an ability to convey place with transparency and tension. Sauvignon Blanc embodies the terroir where it is grown with a personality that is shaped by sunlight, soil and the soul of the winemaker. The stylistic flavor profile and aromas can be zesty or herbal, textured and minerally or beautifully tropical and creamy. Whether it is playful or intellectual, it is more than a wine, it is a sensory wonder and undeniably itself. 

Sauvignon Blanc derived its name from the French term sauvage “wild”  and blanc “white.” The ancestral origin for this wild white dates back to the 15th century in the Centre-Val de Loire or middle region of the Loire Valley in France. Along the eastern fringes of the Loire is the appellation of Sancerre, where Sauvignon Blanc acquired international prominence. The  sub-soils within Sancerre were formed between 50 and 167 million years ago. These lean soils are composed of “terres blanches”, marls of clay and limestone rich in calcium carbonate, “caillottes", stony limestone pebbles and siliceous clay. Each of the limestone elements contribute to the distinctive personality of Sancerre offering faintly floral citrus scents, a complex mineral-driven structure and a laser-like precision wrapped in a sleek framework. The style of Sauvignon Blanc is also driven by the craftsmanship of the winemaker. Malolactic fermentation can reduce the racy acidity in Sauvignon Blanc, while barrel fermentation can add richness, spiciness and texture.

After the devastation of the vines by phylloxera in 1855, there was  replanting of the vineyards in Sancerre followed by a resurgence of Sauvignon Blanc. The whites of Sancerre received official Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status in 1936. Today, there are 300 wine growing families and 14 villages in the Sancerre appellation with vineyards spread across 7,500 acres. Eighty percent of Sancerre production is Sauvignon Blanc with 70% of the wines being sold abroad. The US market continues to have an unparalleled thirst for these wines acquiring nearly 40% of the Sauvignon Blanc exported from Sancerre and savoring close to 400,000 cases a year.

While Sancerre rests on the left bank of the Loire River, the appellation of Pouilly-Fume is situated on the right. Pouilly-Fume is another well recognized appellation in the Loire Valley where Sauvignon Blanc flourishes. The Benedictine monks are credited with cultivating the vineyards in Pouilly in the 5th century. The soils here are a mosaic of fractured flint (Silex) and oyster shells laced with marl-limestone. The flint-rich sub-soils express a smoky, gunflint edge known as “pierre à fusil" along with elements of white stone fruits and minerality.

At some point in the 18th century during Sauvignon Blanc’s evolution in France, it was crossbred with Cabernet Franc in the vineyards of Bordeaux creating Cabernet Sauvignon. Sauvignon Blanc prospered until its decline after the severe frosts in 1956. This grape has since achieved success in Bordeaux and is gaining in notoriety as it loves cooler micro-climates and well drained gravelly, sandy soils. Sauvignon Blanc plays a meaningful role in the Bordeaux appellations of Pessac-Leognan and Graves where it is blended with Semillon, rounding out its grassy edges while allowing it to express underpinnings of beeswax, lemongrass and vanilla as it assumes a more contemplative role.

Within the French appellations of Sauternes and Barsac, Sauvignon Blanc  is harvested late in the growing season after being affected with the noble rot of Botrytis Cinerea, concentrating the natural sugars in the grapes. Sauvignon Blanc’s delicate acidity can balance Semillon, its companion grape for blending, and together express sweeter nuances of dried tropical fruits of apricot, mango and white peach laced with almonds, honey and spices. Some producers are also crafting crisp, dry White Bordeaux from this region.

In the 1880’s, the first cuttings of Sauvignon Blanc were sourced from the vineyards of Chateau dYquem in Sauternes and cultivated by Charles Wetmore in Livermore Valley, California. In 1966, Robert Mondavi pioneered the crafting of a dry styled 100% Sauvignon Blanc from his estate vineyards in Oakville, Napa Valley. After being inspired by his early visits to Pouilly-Fume in the Loire Valley, he chose to produce an estate, dry styled Sauvignon Blanc labeled Fume Blanc. He popularized this term for Sauvignon Blanc in the US. Mondavi became known for his iconic Reserve Fume Blanc produced from old vine Sauvignon Blanc sourced from the historic To-Kalon Vineyard. Many producers would follow in his footsteps later choosing to designate their wines as Sauvignon Blanc.

From its early origin in California, Sauvignon Blanc cuttings from the University of California Davis traveled across oceans, finding a new interpretation within the vineyards of New Zealand in the 1970’s. This grape seemed ideally suited to the long sunlit days, cool nights and refreshing maritime breezes in New Zealand. The first Sauvignon Blanc appeared at a Matua Valley winery in 1974 in Auckland. This grape achieved celebrity status after Brancott Vineyards introduced Sauvignon Blanc to Marlborough in 1979. Cloudy Bay followed in 1985 and was favored by critics for its youthful, herbaceous elements, crystalline purity and searing acidity. It had a unique aromatic profile of methoxypyrazines with a green herbaceous style showcasing gooseberry, freshly cut grass, lemongrass and honeydew. The majority of New Zealand’s wine production is Sauvignon Blanc with over 75% sourced from Marlborough.

Sauvignon Blanc arrived in Italy by the way of France in the 1800’s. The majority of vineyards are in northern Italy from Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The notable Sauvignon Blanc vineyards of Terlan in Alto Adige are sourced from sub-soils of large quartz crystals and volcanic rock yielding caressing lime citrus notes and penetrating orchard fruits along with salty minerality.

You will find that Sauvignon Blanc has a different voice when grown in  Chile’s Casablanca and Leyda Valleys or Australia’s Margaret River region where it is blended with Semillon.  Chilean versions are citrus-driven with crushed herbs and salinity offered at modest price points where Australian Sauvignon Blanc can reveal a flavor profile similar to New Zealand with a touch more of tropical nuances. 

Consumers remain intrigued with an amorous affection toward Sauvignon Blanc. There are impressive renditions from France, New Zealand, Sonoma, California’s Central Coast, Italy, Australia and South Africa with each striking their own cord. This varietal has also garnered attention among new consumers in the emerging markets of Asia and Latin America. Sauvignon Blanc has a fanciful status as a white wine with greater adaptability to food, especially as consumers trend toward healthier Mediterranean diets accompanied with lighter beverages.

Sauvignon Blanc is more than just a grape. It is a mirror, reflecting the character of continents and a transparency of those who cultivate it. Regardless of the origin, Sauvignon Blanc is endlessly captivating and a cosmopolitan white offering elegance and a quiet complexity with each new discovery.