Drink more Sauvignon Blanc

As hot as it's been lately, I think a lot of our customers are foregoing both beer and wine. However, I've had some pretty good quaffs that I'd like to share with you.

I find myself reaching for a sauvignon blanc more often these days than ever before. Many years ago, I decided that I "just didn't like sauvignon blancs". Too many times I'd pour one in the glass and be overwhelmed by a green, stemmy, bitter flavor (pyrazine), in the nose and the taste.

That has changed though. Sauvignon (from the root word "sauvage" in French) does mean "wild". The vines will grow like crazy if you let them, and shadow the grapes so they don't get enough sunlight. With proper vineyard management, letting air and sunlight get to the grapes, and picking them a little later so they are completely ripe, the winemaker has better fruit to work with. The bitter greenness is not present in ripe grapes.

You still have choices to make though, between California, Chile, France and New Zealand. Each country has something different to offer. New Zealand wines are hot right now, and their SBs generally show strong citrus (white grapefruit peel) and/or (ripe) gooseberry flavors. I like these and am ready to have a glass anytime. Some of the best I've had lately include Matua, Kim Crawford, Nobilo and
Clifford Bay.

Chile is making a name for themselves with big reds right now, but they have sent some outstanding SBs to the USA also. More similar in style to French Loire SBs than New Zealand's, they are crisp and herbaceous with good acidity. I like the Veramonte SB a lot.

California Sauvignon Blanc tends to fall into two styles. The New Zealand influenced-Sauvignon Blancs have more tropical fruit undertones with citrus and passion fruit notes. The Mondavi-influenced Sauvignon/Fumé Blanc are more round with melon notes, or even lemon-grass notes. Several I've had lately include Joseph Carr (90 pts Wine Enthusiast) and Beringer Napa SB (88pts Wine Spectator).

I don't drink a lot of French Sauvignon Blancs. The best are from Bordeaux (usually part of a Semillon/SB blend) and the Loire Valley (think Pouilly Fume). These can be crisp and tart with a flinty characteristic. They are good, I just don't make the opportunity.

Probably my most favorite SB ever was about 10 years ago, a Caymus SB that was 11% chardonnay and that had been aged sur lie for 6-8 months. Rich and creamy, with lots of body, it aged well for 4-5 years until I drank all that I had.

DID YOU KNOW- there are actually more than one kind of "sauvignon". In Europe you will find some wines from sauvignon blanc, sauvignon gris (sauvignon rose), or sauvignon vert (sauvignonasse). In California Chalk Hill makes a wine from the aromatic sauvignon musque clone.