Sauvignon Blanc
Physical Characteristics
- Soil influences flavor profile
Clay gives more fruit and body
Kimmeridgean more meinerality
- Cool weather grape-late budding and early ripening
- Very vigorous-often plucking leaves to get grapes to ripen
- Yield control important to get concentrated flavors
- Thin skins make it susceptible to rot
Winemaker Choices
- Fermentation temperature affects flavor profile
Medium focuses on terroir and minerality
Barrel fermented has more body, but back to vegetal varietal character
- Often needs a presoak to extract the most flavor.
- Barrel aging is reserved for Bordeaux blends and for Fume Blanc in California
- Most wines meant for early consumption, though some can be aged 10 years
Regions
- Loire Valley
Soil in Sancerre is chalk
Soil in Pouilly-Fume is silex (flint)
- New Zealand
Makes fruitier version
Most comes from marlborough
Other Regions
- California
- Bordeaux
Styles
- Nose
Very herbaceous-cut grass, hay, cat urine
- Palate
Herbal and fruity
Minerality in old world styles
Pairing Suggestions
- Pair with something acidic and/or herbal
- Classic pair is goat cheese
- Good with tomato based items
- Also good for difficult foods like asparagus and artichoke or salads.