Wine Focus April 2025 - Sauvignon Blanc, love it or leave it

[David M. Bueker]

Wish I could add a poll!

Trying to be open minded, as I know some here like the grape. I actually had a 2008 (!) Araujo Sauvignon Blanc a few weeks ago that I actually liked versus tolerated. So it can happen.

SB does very different things depending on where it’s from. The grassy character can be completely absent or the dominant feature. Jancis Robinson once famously said it’s like “cat pee on a gooseberry bush.”

So where do you stand? Particular loves? Certain regions or producers you actively dislike? FWIW, my least favorite SB comes from the Styria region of Austria.

[Jenise]

I love them all; it's my favorite white grape. Prefer the super-grassy feral types over the bright fruit of New Zealand, but I'm open to all of it (as you know).

I love them all; it's my favorite white grape...

Strong words!

Curious for the reasoning? I used to have a good friend whose favorite grape was Sauvignon Blanc, primarily because she enjoyed flavorful and refreshing wines, but was not necessarily looking for profundity with her nightly glass.

And maybe it's an unfair oversimplification, but I do think Chardonnay, Riesling and Chenin reach higher levels of profundity. I supplement those with some Gruner, Sylvaner, various other whites, which I might put on the Sauvignon Blanc 'level', although I never seem to get around to it these days...

Saw the title and I was wondering if this was an April Fools joke.

So where do you stand? Particular loves? Certain regions or producers you actively dislike? FWIW, my last favorite SB comes from the Styria region of Austria.

I've heard good things about SB from here as well. Tried one from Tement that was inexpensive (~$24) and excellent. The only reason I haven't bought more is that Tement also makes a Gelber Muskateller that's around the same tab, and I liked it even more as a lightweight, barely dry, super-aromatic and fun sipper.

[David M. Bueker]

Oops…it’s supposed to say my least favorite!

[Jenise]

I love them all; it's my favorite white grape...

Strong words!

Curious for the reasoning?

Hard to explain or defend. I just like it! And it has so many variations. From the mineral elegance of Sancerre and South Africa to the to the assertive and ageable richness of white Bordeaux (thanks to some Semillon, I realize) to the complex spiciness of Rochioli and the feral haystacks of Bevan's unfiltered Bennet Valley SB's California SB...the variations are quite extreme. As for profundity, I do find it.

What I think is true is that SB hasn't been taken as seriously by the public, so it hasn't behooved winemakers to make more profound versions for the small lot of us who would seek them out and pay $50+ for them. But that's changing as more people lean into plant- and seafood- based diets and find that SB's herbaceousness is a great match; not long ago I saw a chart that showed that acreage of Sauv Blanc rose in the last year or three more than any other variety.

Hard to explain or defend. I just like it!

Well that is as good a reason as any!

When I've had the more impressive versions (Cotat) they have been delicious but haven't inspired me to buy them instead of other grapes/regions in the same price range. But I suppose that's just personal preference.

I enjoyed a lot of refreshing Sancerre, Reuilly and Pouilly Fume at the very beginning of my wine journey, although a recent taste showed that warm vintages have changed everything everywhere! Alas...

We drink quite a lot of Sauvignon derived whites because there are many available here especially from Bordeaux (usually with some other grapes, mainly Sémillon, in a blend) and the Loire basin (100%). While I find that the Loire basin's other main white grape, Chenin, is capable of greater heights (IMO on a par with Riesling and Chardonnay), appellations like Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Reuilly and Quincy can provide exhilarating and tangy wines with an easily recognized taste profile, which pair very well with shellfish and pungent crustacean and other fish preparations. I would love to try some more SB from other parts of Europe and the New World but that is a difficult quest in rural France.

Based on the international demand for SB, the wines from well-known Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé estates are becoming quite pricey as is similar status Loire Chenin, if not quite to the same extent. At around €10, which is where my everyday drinking is situated, there are better values in Chenin (Savennières and Vouvray, etc.).

To summarize about SB, for me “love it” is a bit strong, but “leave it” definitely not.

Because it is my wife's favorite wine (of any color), I drink more SB than I otherwise would. Marlborough SB from a few higher quality producers is our preferred source, though white Bdx and Sudsteiermark expressions also appeal. OTOH, neither of us is much of a fan of the CA versions and I can take or leave Sancerre.

[Robin Garr]

Like a lot of others here, I don't hate SB, but I don't usually seek it out. I've got one in the tasting queue for next week, though: Craggy Range 2023 Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc. I hope I'm happy!

[Jenise]

Robin, you should be. Craggy Range's Sauv Blancs are quite elegant, they use a modest amount of oak to round off the corners and don't try to blow your head off with an explosion of zesty, Margarita-like NZ-ness, which some do.

Oops…it’s supposed to say my least favorite!

well, then I'm definitely not opening that Tement SB for you any time soon. But I will have a glass of the Gelber Muskateller for you to try sometime. Love that grape as you know. (And it's a fun, lighter expression, though dry. Not as intense/rich as the MC you brought to my place last time.)

[Robin Garr]

Robin, you should be. Craggy Range's Sauv Blancs are quite elegant, they use a modest amount of oak to round off the corners and don't try to blow your head off with an explosion of zesty, Margarita-like NZ-ness, which some do.

Good news! Thanks, Jenise. Looking forward ...