Sauvignon Blanc - A Sips Safari

Get to know the grape by tasting wines from these key regions...

With Sauvignon Blanc’s lemon zest, cut grass and wet stone flavours come distinctive aromas that its fans describe as elderflower and nettle, its dissenters as cat pee. This is why it’s the most recognisable white grape variety around – and also why it can split the judges! If you want to get under the skin of this pale yellow, green tinged white wine beauty, then do a tasting tour from these key places:

Loire Valley, France

France’s Loire Valley is Sauvignon’s original home and the appellation of Sancerre is the most famous production area there. Here you’ll find classic, English country garden aromas in a subtle, refined style. For less expensive, more accessible Sauvignon in a similar still style however, seek out the wines from Touraine or Reuilly, just down the road. For a more complex, flinty, smoky savvy B that’s on a price par with Sancerre however, take a peek at the style made in Pouilly Fumé. That’s terroir for you!

Try: Pouilly-Fumé Mademoiselle de 'T' du Château de Tracy 2023, £20.50 from The Wine Society

Marlborough, New Zealand

Sauvignon has a permanent holiday home in New Zealand, where Marlborough is its most famous region. Equally happy here as it is in France, the flavour volume is turned right up and someone has brought out the tinned asparagus and tropical fruit! You can’t do Sauvignon Blanc without trying one from Marlborough but it’s great around both islands. In Hawkes Bay, its a tad fuller and more tropical, Nelson has a softer, more elegant versions more akin to Sancerre and Wairarapa wines tend to be more textured and mineral.

Try: Freeman's Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, £9.69 from ALDI

Bordeaux, France

Dry Sauvignon Blanc is also a staple in Bordeaux, though it’s often eclipsed by the red wines. It’s one half of the famous white Bordeaux blend and you can also find it here as a single varietal. Look to the Graves sub region for particularly fine white wines as well as to local, simple and much cheaper, single varietal Sauvignons. You can get some great sparkling ones here too that aren’t expensive!

Try: Tutiac Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc ‘Help Protect the Ocean’, £10.50 from Sainsburys

Also Try…

Happily for Savvy B lovers, you can find this grape all over the world now. For amazing value and smoky grapefruit notes, head to cool-climate Chile’s Casablanca and Leyda Valleys or the slightly warmer Aconcagua Valley. For more powerful style, also look to Napa Valley in California and Elgin and Stellenbosch in South Africa. I love these:

Chile: Terra Organica Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Aconcagua. £9.40 from Ocado

South Africa: Reyneke Biodynamic Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Stellenbosh. £19.90 from VINVM

What are your thoughts on Sauvignon Blanc? Share your favourites with me! And if you want to know just a little more about wine, check our my bite-sized video wine course over on helenasips.com