Sauvignon Blanc (pron. sav-in-yon blonk)
What’s cool, white, wonderful, sometimes herbaceous, often grapefruit-like and occasionally grassy? It’s the superb varietal, Sauvignon Blanc. A classic Australian Sauvignon Blanc is dry, with a full fruit flavor.
Australia is not yet well known for its Sauvignon Blanc wine but it is growing fast in popularity and increased plantings. It’s a very distinctive grape variety producing very zesty, refreshing wines.
As elsewhere in the world, it is a variety which shows its best when grown in cooler regions. Australia’s huge land mass with such diverse micro-climats provides some fine regions with the perfect growing conditions to produce wonderfully expressive Sauvignon Blanc wine. In the coolest regions these Australian wines have herbal (grassy), gooseberry characters. More typical are wines from slightly warmer climates showing more passionfruit flavor with a zing of acidity.
Sauvignon Blanc vines tend to be quite vigorous growers, so it is especially important to manage the canopy by careful pruning and even by thinning leaves and shoots to direct the plant's energy towards ripening the fruit. Unrestrained growth and over-cropping result in neutral-tasting wines of little interest.
Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent wine for enjoying chilled with or without food and is especially good when served with seafood. Sauvignon Blanc is often blended with Semillon, which creates a perfect partnership and fuller palate style as a Sem Sav Blanc.
Check out our Food and Wine Pairing suggestions to see the best choice for your Australian Sauvignon Blanc wines or Savignon Blanc as it is sometimes spelled.
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