Sauvignon Blanc - what does the grape say

Sauvignon Blanc is a green grape which is widely grown. It is used alone in bone dry whites in Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume, New Zealand, Chile and South Africa. It is blended in Bordeaux where it is made into a sweet or dry white wines.

What to expect from the Colour

Pale lemon green colour

What to expect from the Smell

Herbaceous aromas like grass and blackcurrant leaves. Gooseberries. Warmer climate wines tend to have more passion fruit and grapefruit.

What to expect from the Taste

Sancerre and pure Sauvignon Blanc wines are bone dry white wines. Very zingy and zesty flavors with crispy fruity taste. Fruity and high acidity.

Best Regions for Sauvignon Blanc

There are really good Sauvignon Blanc from many parts of the world. In France the two best regions are Poilly-Fume and Sancerre in Loire. In New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough is legendary, while coastal regions in Chile and South Africa also produce excellent Sauvignon Blancs. Sauvignon Blanc from California tend to be more oaky, while in Bordeaux it is blended with Semillion which makes it less zingy.

Food

Most types of seafood, cheese and especially goat cheese. Asparges.

Storage, temperature and glasses

Sauvignon Blanc wines should be drunk and will not really improve with storage. Older SB will develop a smell of asparagus and lose it's young fresh flavors. Normal tulip shaped glasses will do.

Prices and Links:

SB wines are in the low price range 10€ and perhaps up to 30€.

Life is too short to drink bad wine: Loire - Sancerre

Life is too short to drink bad wine: Twin Island - Sauvignon Blanc 2010 New Zealand

Comments

Leoville Lascases 1988

Last week was a special week for me as I received my last pay check from my previous employer. An event that required some sort of celebration with some good friends. Of the many bottles opened during that evening was a Leoville Lascases 1988. This Bordeaux wine from St. Julien is second Grand cru classee but it has the quality of a first growth. This chateau was also the wine that made me change from beer to wine as I had the pleasure of tasting a Leoville Lascases 1945 back in 88. The 1945 just knocked me off my guard and I remember thinking what a fantastic wine it was and what an experience to drink this wine from the year when world war 2 ended. I was in shock and I then just decided to enter into the world of wine. I have always had a soft spot for this chateau ever since. And to my pleasure it has been performing well at much more reasonable prices than the much more expensive first growths in the 1855 classification. Nowadays a bottle of this wine costs around ...

Condrieu 2014 by Cuilleron

In the steep hills north in the Rhone valley there is a small appelation which is called Condrieu. Here the rare grape of Viognier is grown. A grape not well known to many people but which gives a fantastic wine when grown here. It is a full bodied white with a very pronounced and overwhelming smell of flower, peach, apricot, tropical fruit etc. The taste is dominated by ripe fruit, medium acidity and a long finish. Very good to outstanding quality. This is not a white for the fainthearted as the style is rather opulent. But with 2 year old Comte it is the perfect match. Cuilleron (manager) has many different styles. The wine is pricy and rare to get hold of. Condrieu 2014 "La Petite Cote" Yves Cuilleron ca 30€ or 400 nok

Chianti Riserva 2016

Castello de Farnatello has a basic Chianti and a Riserva on the market. Both of them are good value for money. We tried the Riserva the other day, in two different glasses; Riedel Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The Syrah glass is more closed at the top (to the right). The colour of the wine is medium red and the nose discrete smell of cherries, leather and nuts. Attractive acidity with a firm well balanced taste. This is perfect with lamb for ex. 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot has been added to the wine as well and that gives it more body than the pure Sangiovese. And which glass works best? The Syrah glass enhances the smell much more than the CS glass in which the wine seems much more closed. Chianti Riserva 2016, Castello de Farnatello Ca 230 kr or 13euro

Life is too short to drink bad wine

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