Sauvignon blanc
A sauvignon blanc from New Zealand has the same juicy fruit as a French one, but is much more intense in flavour. Those from the Loire are lighter and more elegant, and that difference comes from the soil and climate.
Wine by type
Four pages closely related to sauvignon blanc: the shelf where it is found, the two white grapes it is most often compared with, and the overview of all wine.
White wine
The entire white wine shelf at a glance, from bone-dry to dessert-sweet, with what to expect in the glass for each grape.
About White wine →Chardonnay
Also dry, but oak-aged, full-bodied and creamy with vanilla and butter, whereas sauvignon blanc relies on its acidity.
About Chardonnay →
Verdejo
The Spanish grape from Rueda, with green melon, citrus fruits, fennel and white peach.
About Verdejo →
Wine
An overview of red, white, rosé and sparkling wines, with the serving temperature and the right glass included.
About Wine →A French grape that sounds different in New Zealand
Sauvignon blanc is a grape variety, not a region. The name means something like wild white, and the grape originally comes from France: from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. It is now one of the most popular grape varieties in the world and is also grown in New Zealand, Chile, South Africa and the United States. In the glass, the wine is usually pale in colour, light yellow with a hint of green. When the grape is blended with sémillon in Bordeaux, the wine becomes a more intense yellow. Wherever the bottle comes from, it is almost always a dry, refreshingly crisp wine with high acidity.
The fact that origin makes such a difference is due to two very different places. Sauvignon blancs from the Loire are light and elegant in flavor, while a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand has the same juicy fruit but is much more intense in flavor. In Sancerre, a small area of thirty square kilometers in the upper Loire, it is mainly the soil that determines what ends up in the glass: white clay with a high limestone content produces wines with more body and zest, gravelly soil produces a lighter and more delicate structure, and flint-rich soil gives that characteristic mineral flavor. In Marlborough, at the northernmost tip of the South Island, the climate does the work: cool and sunny with long hours of light, dry summers and cool nights, ideal for retaining freshness and aromas in the grapes.
In brief
Six bottles, from the Loire to Chile
The first two are deliberately placed next to each other: a Sancerre from the Loire and the Marlborough that is considered a typical example of the New Zealand style. Then come another French wine, another New Zealand wine, a South African and a Chilean.
J. de Villebois Sancerre Blanc
Sancerre is considered one of the crown jewels among sauvignon blancs and is made exclusively from this grape. Typically fresh and crisp, with lemon, green apple, freshly cut grass and minerality.
Yealands Reserve
The typical example of the Marlborough style, and therefore the direct opposite of the Sancerre above. Explosive in flavor, with passion fruit, citrus, Granny Smith and green herbs.
J. de Villebois Sauvignon Blanc
A lighter Loire from the village of Seigy, refreshing and with a rounded finish. Notes of citrus, freshly cut grass and gooseberry, and at 12 percent the lightest bottle in this selection.
Mount Vernon
Another Marlborough, but with grapefruit taking center stage instead of passion fruit. Elegant, with a long finish.
Tokara Sauvignon Blanc
From Stellenbosch in South Africa and, at 13.5 percent, the strongest bottle here. Fresh and powerful, with apple and pear.
Errazuriz Estate Reserva
From Chile's Aconcagua Valley, aromatic with lime, passion fruit, and fresh green herbs. In terms of fruit, it leans more toward New Zealand than the Loire.
If you're looking for the same freshness but with a little more body on the palate, choose a chardonnay from a stainless steel tank.
Crisp and fresh, with citrus, gooseberry, and grass
Citrus & gooseberry
Typically fresh and expressive, with aromas of citrus, green apple, gooseberry, grass, and lime, and sometimes tropical fruit or a hint of minerality. With a New Zealand bottle, the aroma bursts from the glass and the passion fruit is unmistakable.
Dry and high in acidity
White wines made from this grape are dry and refreshingly crisp: little residual sugar remains and the acidity is high. You can clearly taste citrus, green apple, herbs, and gooseberry, which also makes the wine suitable for beginners: the flavors are immediate and do not change along the way.
Loire light, Marlborough intense
Sauvignon blancs from the Loire are light and elegant in flavor; a bottle from New Zealand has the same juicy fruit but is much more intense. In Sancerre, limestone-rich white clay creates more body and bite, gravel gives a more delicate structure, and flint creates a mineral flavor.
Flavor profile of an average dry sauvignon blanc. A Marlborough scores higher on fruitiness, while a Sancerre scores somewhat lower; neither changes much in sweetness.
How to serve sauvignon blanc
This wine relies on its freshness, which you can only preserve if the bottle is cold enough.
Chill to 7 to 10 degrees
Serve it chilled, around seven to ten degrees, or about three hours in the refrigerator. Fresh, very fruity white wines are generally recommended at eight to ten degrees, so anywhere in that range is always a good choice. Served warmer, you lose the crispness that made you choose the wine.
To the bottles →In a large white wine glass
The bowl helps preserve and distribute the aromas, allowing the wine's aroma and flavor to come through more fully. Hold the glass by the stem: this prevents your hand from holding the bowl and warming the wine. Pour white wine to just above the widest part of the bowl, and we follow the rule of thumb of six glasses per bottle.
To the glasses →At the table
Because of its high acidity, this wine pairs well with briny dishes such as mussels and with highly acidic foods such as goat cheese and tomatoes. It also works well with shellfish, green salads, sushi and strongly spiced dishes. It is also delicious with plenty of vegetables, for example as part of a vegetarian dinner.
More about serving →Cocktails with white wine
Sauvignon blanc is practically never used in a cocktail; you drink it chilled from the glass. These four come closest and all rely on a sparkling white wine.
Hugo Spritz
Elderflower syrup, sparkling wine, sparkling water and mint over plenty of ice.
Aperol Spritz
Aperol, sparkling wine and a splash of sparkling water, with an orange slice.
Bellini
Peach purée at the bottom of the glass, gently topped with a dry sparkling wine.
Kir Royal
A base of crème de cassis, topped up with a dry sparkling wine.The right glass for sauvignon blanc
There is no glass made specifically for this grape. What does help is a bowl that keeps the aromas together and a stem that prevents you from warming the wine. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything else you wanted to know about sauvignon blanc
Can't find your question here? Explore our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
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