Why there’s more to Sauvignon Blanc than your ‘standard’ Savvy B
Sauvignon Blanc remains anchored in the UK’s top three white wines and this fantastically flavoursome grape gets to celebrate its success with International Sauvignon Blanc Day on the first Friday in May. It can be enjoyed in many guises, so which one appeals to you?
If you like a wine that makes an entrance and wallops you in the face with its distinctive personality then you have probably enjoyed some New Zealand Savvy B, most likely from Marlborough. New Zealand rocketed to international wine success with its individual interpretation of this wine. Lip-smacking bursts of flavours – lemongrass, lime and gooseberry – makes this an unforgettable glass.
Yealands Sauvignon Blanc (Ocado, £10.75) is a benchmark for the region with its coastal vineyards getting extra freshness from the ocean breezes. Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc (Ocado, £15) is a riper, rounder example, showcasing the heady tropical fruits that can be achieved.
Sauvignon Blanc isn’t the same in France and Australia
Across the globe in France this grape becomes a very different beast, especially when dressed up as Sancerre from the cool Loire Valley. Here Sauvignon becomes flinty and green with herbal and cut grass notes. It is crisp, linear and a far more subtle experience. A classic pairing with goats’ cheese salads, the refreshing acidity cuts through the earthy, creamy cheese. The Sancerre Les Marennes (Waitrose, £18.50, down from £22.50) is currently discounted and provides a great opportunity to try this pairing out for yourself.
Just down the road in the Loire there’s Pouilly-Fumé, where the wine becomes gently broader, rounder and duskier. There’s a gunflint and smoke sensation underpinning the citrus, orchard and stone fruits. This variant is just as refined and elegant as Sancerre but better for slightly richer dishes and meatier seafood. The steel and citrus of Les Clos du Matin Pouilly-Fume (Waitrose, £18.50) is great with monkfish or grilled seabass.
Chile is currently treading the line between the two faces of Old and New World with all the fresh flavour of New Zealand teamed with the graceful refinement of France. The Errazuriz Costa is also currently on offer (Waitrose, £9.25, down from £14.25). With its gentle herbal notes and bright sunshine-led zing it is an excellent wine for salads and stir-fries.
Don’t forget English Sauvignon Blanc
England is never far behind (on our whites at least) and Lyme Bay has released its new Sauvignon Blanc that captures a quintessential English essence with cool, crisp whispers of elderflower blossom amid the gooseberry and lime zippiness.
If you usually crave a bit more power in your wines and don’t mind spending more to get it then Cloudy Bay’s Te Koko (Majestic, £62) is the bottle for you. Te Koko is fermented with wild yeasts and then aged in oak for three years, creating a concentrated depth with nutty almond and wood smoke notes. It is unlike any other Sauvignon I have tried and could even age for five more years after purchase.
Whatever style or country you like, there is an ideal glass to raise this Friday!