There are a growing number of global Sauvignon Blancs, but it is the top bottlings from California and New Zealand that have prompted some Old World producers to rethink their vinification techniques Photo: ROBERT M. BRUNO
Sauvignon Sanctuaries -A global guide to the other white grape
Reported by Todd M. Wernstrom - Steve Pitcher - Tom HylandSauvignon Blanc, that perennial A-B-C option, is at its most healthy and vibrant state in memory. The New and Old Worlds have conspired to finally let Sauvignon be Sauvignon rather than an untenable facsimile of Chardonnay, which, despite whispers to the contrary, remains the world's most commercially important white varietal. From its birthplace in France, the two primary styles of Sauvignon - ripe and somewhat tropical in Bordeaux and grassy and minerally fresh in Sancerre - have long been the reference points for the world's other top-notch production areas.
Though each area profiled here may harken to the original, they are also decidedly themselves: There is no mistaking the pungency of a Kiwi version, while California has largely shed excess oak, revealing generously fruited wines that could only achieve their hallmark ripeness in the Golden State. And Italy's little-known - even within Italy - versions from the northeast fall comfortably between the extremes. Perhaps the best attribute that Sauvignon Blanc shares wherever it is found is its wallet friendliness: With some notable exceptions - mostly in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley - the varietal is eminently affordable, usually ranging from about $15 to $30 per bottle.
Home Base
Bordeaux & Sancerre
By Todd M. Wernstrom
Unlike in most sauvignon-friendly locales, sauvignon blanc rarely goes solo in Bordeaux. Though it is very hard to generalize about an area as large as France's No. 1 wine-producing region, it can be said that the Bordelais are blenders by nature. Sémillon, and to a lesser extent muscadelle, are utilized, in the words of Marcel Ducasse, the man responsible for St.-Julien Third Growth Château Lagrange's upwardly spiraling reputation, "to moderate the sharpness of sauvignon and give the wine more complexity. I don't like Sauvignons that are too 'catty' with very strong flavors." His Les Arums de Lagrange is about two-thirds sauvignon and, like most Bordeaux whites, sees an amount of wood - eleven months in new oak - that would be questioned elsewhere in the Sauvignon world. He stresses that his fruit is picked very "ripe and the wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation," which would be unheard of in most zones where whites are aged extensively in oak.
Even without malo, the wine shows lush fruit and a soft, very non-green palate. There are areas in Bordeaux that are stylistically the opposite - Éntre-Deux-Mers is a good example - but this fruit-forward, oak-aged style is prevalent. Wood notes are abundant in these wines, but they usually don't show the oaky sweetness from which, until recently, many California Sauvignons suffered. Free from malo, "the blend has more harmony and it is possible to drink it with a lot of different foods instead of only shellfish or seafood," Ducasse explains.
Sancerre, perhaps the Loire Valley's most well-known appellation, is for many devotees the very epitome of Sauvignon Blanc. Tart, citrusy aromas and flavors are delivered with a minerally freshness that verges on the brink of imbalance. The French term this liveliness nervosité, and it by no means is a pejorative. Chalk-laced vineyards within site of the great Loire River have much in common with those found to the northeast in Chablis and the northwest in Champagne, though chardonnay is the beneficiary of the latter two's acidity-preserving soils. If it can be said that Sauvignon, regardless of where it comes from, has a vivaciousness, the great ones from Sancerre have that varietal quality without the sometimes over exuberant pungency found elsewhere (read: New Zealand). After all, the Sancerrois have been at this a long time and have that "been there, done that" way about them.
For those consumers who have shied away from Sancerre because of an aversion to the litter box, the good news is that the "catty" element is actually more imagined than real. Even with plenty of herbal and grassy attributes, vignerons in the sauvignon-heavy part of the Loire - the better known appellations would include Pouilly-Fumé just across the river from Sancerre, Quincy and Menetou-Salon - are achieving grape ripeness levels that seem to have moderated some of the more blatant feline aspects of their wines.
New World Wonders
New Zealand & California
By Steve Pitcher
Arguably, California Sauvignon was nudged beyond its "Poor Man's Chardonnay" status by the almost immediate acceptance and critical acclaim in this country of distinctive, exciting New Zealand Sauvignons that began arriving here in measurable quantity five or six years ago, preceded by Marlborough pioneers Cloudy Bay and Brancott in the mid-1980s.
For going on two decades, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been fashioned in essentially two styles - the zesty, pungent, gooseberry, citrus and passion fruit charmers laced with capsicum from Marlborough and other regions on South Island (represented by producers such as the aforementioned Brancott, plus Nobilo and Kim Crawford), and the richer, nectarine, peach and white melon versions from Hawkes Bay north to Auckland on North Island (represented by Mills Reef, Craggy Range and Palliser).
The vast majority of these Sauvignons never see oak; stainless steel rules. They are meant to be consumed young and fresh, at their perky best, which is why so many sport the Stelvin closures (distinguished from ordinary screwcaps by their long "skirt" down the neck of the bottle and interior liner that forms an ideal seal and is absolutely neutral, contributing no odors or flavors).
Marlborough remains very much Sauvignon Central accounting for 85 percent of New Zealand's total production of the varietal. While new brands have been launched in recent years, the Kiwi attitude, with the exception of eschewing traditional cork, clearly seems to be, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." And, according to Kim Crawford, this Marlborough-ness is precisely what will continue to set Kiwi Sauvignon apart from its ever-growing competition. "A lot of other places where sauvignon is being planted are too warm for it. We're focused on retaining that distinct Marlborough herbaceousness, which is really the signature Marlborough flavor."
Dave Williams, director of Jackson Estate and one of the founders in 2001 of the New Zealand Screwcap Initiative, reports that, "According to bottling companies here, the percentage of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc bottled under screwcap now exceeds 80 percent" (an estimated 72 percent of all New Zealand wines will see screwcap-styled closures this year).
Similarly, more and more California Sauvignon producers of note are opting for metal closures to protect this aromatic white from cork taint, among them Clos Pégase, Voss and Whitehall Lane.
Conundrum, a $24 high-end blend of sauvignon blanc, sémillon, chardonnay, muscat and viognier, was sealed with a screwcap for the first time this year. "The reason is simple," explains proprietor Chuck Wagner, "this closure absolutely prevents the possibility of cork taint. For a wine like Conundrum, which is built around fresh, pure fruit flavors, the twist top is an obvious choice."
A fairly recent development is the California producer devoted exclusively to Sauvignon Blanc. Work Vineyard's lovingly crafted Sauvignon Blanc ($24), first released in 2003, comes from a three-acre vineyard on an alluvial fan at the base of Mount St. Helena near Calistoga.
More ambitious is the Santa Rosa-based "borderless" Sauvignon Republic Cellars, founded in 2003. Its principals are extremely passionate about the grape. "Sauvignon blanc is a grape variety that expresses terroir more profoundly than almost any other," asserts general manager and veteran winemaker John Buechsenstein. "California, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and France are the locations where it has shown greatness. We are committed to becoming the experts on Sauvignon Blanc and intend to produce a wine in each of these prime areas," all with Stelvin closures. This year's inaugural releases are the 2004 Sauvignons from Russian River Valley and Marlborough ($18 each).
While the varietal remains California's best white wine bargain, there's also a trend to offer bottlings aimed at the Sauvignon connoisseur, priced at $20 and up. Examples include Araujo Eisele Vineyard ($35); Chalk Hill ($25); Crocker & Starr ($23); Geyser Peak Block Collection River Road Ranch ($21); Lail Vineyards Georgia ($75); Peter Michael L'Après-Midi ($42); Robert Mondavi To Kalon Vineyard I Block ($65); Origin-Napa Gamble Vineyard ($27); St. Supéry Limited Edition Dollarhide Ranch ($35); Rudd Estate ($28); Selene Hyde Vineyard ($26); Silver Pines Sonoma Mountain ($32); and Spottswoode ($32).
Finally, adding increasing luster to the varietal, there are the Sauvignon specialists: California wineries with more than two Sauvignon Blancs in their portfolios. Most notable are Brander Vineyard, with five bottlings priced from $12 to $30; Dry Creek Vineyard, with four, including a late-harvest nectar; Fiddlehead Cellars, whose winemaker, Kathy Joseph, covers a wide range of styles with Happy Canyon ($22), Goosebury ($32) and Honeysuckle ($32), all from Santa Ynez Valley; Murphy-Goode, with three bottlings priced from $13 to $24; and St. Supéry, which owns 200 acres of sauvignon blanc, amounting to ten percent of Napa Valley acreage planted to the variety, with three, including Vertú, a sauvignon-sémillon blend ($28), as well as the aforementioned Dollarhide Ranch.
Secret Gardens
Alto Adige & Friuli
By Tom Hyland
As with all the world's striking examples of Sauvignon Blanc - or just Sauvignon as it is known in northern Italy - the finest bottlings from the Alto Adige and Friuli offer deep varietal flavor, lively acidity and textbook herbal notes. Yet these wines are not nearly as well known as their counterparts from France or New Zealand, despite those attributes.
Their lack of notoriety can be attributed in part to the fact that these two regions specialize in several white varietals, with Sauvignon Blanc being less than a top priority at most estates. Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and even the rare Picolit, are considered more prestigious in Friuli, while in the Alto Adige Sauvignon loses out to two others. "Gewürztraminer is a real hit right now," says Werner Walch, who with his wife, Elena, owns the Elena Walch winery, one of the region's most esteemed producers. And the other? "Pinot Bianco is considered the number one white in Alto Adige," Walch notes. "The local farmers always order a glass of Pinot Bianco for lunch. They're conservative in everything they do."
Yet outstanding models of Sauvignon hail from these cool climate areas. The best plantings are on hillsides where there are dramatic variations in temperature from cool days to cold nights, which helps preserve acidity.
Gianni Menotti, winemaker at Villa Russiz in the Collio district of Friuli, claims that the local soils help fashion his Sauvignon de la Tour, a selection of the finest grapes from the best southeastern facing vines. "These vines grow on the typical Collio soil - marne [loose clay] and sandstone," Menotti says. "These soils help the harmonious development of vines in general and sauvignon in particular."
Collio and the neighboring Colli Orientali del Friuli appellations are the finest areas in Friuli for producing the most expressive Sauvignons. Typical examples focus on peach, tangerine and even grapefruit flavors, while herbal notes harmonize in the background. Most producers use oak only sparingly; for example, Roberto Felluga employs only 10 to 20 percent oak for his Russiz Superiore Sauvignon to help increase the wine's complexity. While the majority of bottlings are best consumed within the first two or three years, a few age-worthy exceptions - such as "de la Tour" from Villa Russiz - drink best at five to seven years.
If the Sauvignons from Friuli focus on brightness of fruit, those from Alto Adige tend to offer a more tightly wound package of freshness, lively acidity and a light flintiness. The use of oak is more prevalent here, with Walch putting 20 percent of the fruit into Allier barrels, while Rudi Kofler, Cantina Terlano's winemaker, uses barriques for 50 percent of the fruit in his Quartz bottling. The use of oak in Alto Adige Sauvignon is a means by the local enologists to inject greater character into the varietal, which Walch describes as "delicate."
Specific microclimates, such as the Terlan district (just southwest of Bolzano), contribute much to the makeup of the finest local Sauvignons. Vineyards here are sited on volcanic rock with deposits of crystal; besides enhancing the wines with a mineral character, these locales also retain heat well, enabling the berries to fully ripen. As more producers change from the traditional pergola (overhead) system of planting to the high-density Guyot system, the area's Sauvignons have developed greater intensity. The future looks bright for Alto Adige Sauvignon; Walch's account of the subdued nature of this wine may soon be a thing of the past.
Tasting BAR
The following selection of Sauvignon Blancs were scored according to this magazine's BuyLine rating system; they were not tasted blind. Notes on each region were compiled by the respective authors of each section.
FRANCE
Château Lagrange, 2003 Les Arums de Lagrange, Bordeaux Blanc - $21: Quite ripe aromas of pineapple and apple with complex wood nuances. Although the wood is more apparent in the mouth, the wine is really all about fruit with defined flavors of white peach and lime peel. An allspice note lifts the close. Score: 92
Château Recougne, 2004 Sauvignon, Bordeaux Blanc - $12: Varietally classic aromas of lime and chili pepper. Tangy flavors of pear and minerals. A cleansing sourness emerges in the finish. Score: 88
Lauverjat, 2004 Moulin des Vrillères, Sancerre - $16: Pleasingly dusty aromas of green fruit, minerals and a peppery note. Lip-smackingly fresh lime peel flavors that continue in the finish. Score: 91
Pascal Cotat, 2004 Les Monts Damnés Chavignol, Sancerre - $40: Exquisitely nuanced aromas of lemon, minerals and chalk traces. Zesty flavors of lemon peel and wet stone. Perfectly balanced. Score: 94
Philippe Raimbault, 2004 Les Godons, Sancerre - $15: Quite peppery with chili scents dominating the underlying ripe lime notes. Luscious lime flavors have an apple sweetness. Snappy close. Score: 91
Thomas-Labaille, 2002 Les Monts Damnés Chavignol, Sancerre - $20: Subtle scents of lime, chalk and minerals accented with a pretty herbal nuance. Superbly balanced flavors of lemon and wet stone finish on a clean, slightly grassy note. Score: 93
new world
Cliff Lede, 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley - $18: Vibrant aromas of white peach, tropical fruit, straw and lemon grass enhanced by delicate citrus notes of grapefruit and lemon zest. Rich and round, yet crisp with lively acidity, this elegant Sauvignon serves up flavors of grapefruit, tropical fruit and pear elevated by a varietal grassiness. Score: 92
Geyser Peak, 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Block Collection, River Road Ranch, Russian River Valley - $21: Enticing scents of honeydew melon, quince, white grapefruit and chopped fresh tarragon that expand with air. Tangy and ripe with bright, lively acidity, this beautifully balanced, silky-smooth Sauvignon delivers flavors promised by the nose, leading with grapefruit and a mineral note; finishes with a subtle grassiness. Score: 93
Sauvignon Republic Cellars, 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley - $18: Nose of grapefruit, juicy pineapple and subtle green herbs. Fresh and clean on the palate with snappy acidity, offering lemony flavors accented by tropical fruit and pleasant herbaceous notes that linger in the minerally, extended finish. Score: 90
Kumeu River, 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough - $19: Deep aromas of chopped fresh green herbs, passion fruit and white pepper. Surprisingly rich with refreshing acidity, offering copious mineral-tinged passion fruit, grapefruit and green herb flavors. Score: 89
Matua Valley, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough - $12: Distinctive, vibrant Marlborough nose of gooseberry, passion fruit and subtle lime zest. Round, smooth and slightly plump with balancing acidity, this well-proportioned and concentrated Sauvignon offers up passion fruit flavors and a wet pebble minerality enhanced by varietal herbaceousness. Score: 90
Villa Maria, 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, Private Bin, Marlborough - $13: Intense, extravagant nose of tropical fruit, gooseberry (resembling chopped fresh asparagus) and lime zest. Rich without being heavy, with lively acidity, offering flavors that replicate the nose amplified by a touch of grapefruit; long, lingering, mineral-tinged finish; classy and vibrant. (screwcap)/Score: 90
ITALY
Cantina Terlano, 2003 Winkl Sauvignon, Alto Adige - $22: Lovely aromas of pear, flint, vanilla and lemon custard. Medium-full with notable concentration and flavors of pear, lemon and grapefruit. Lengthy, beautifully balanced finish with fine persistence of fruit, lively acidity and a subtle hint of ginger. Score: 91
Elena Walch, 2003 Castel Ringberg Sauvignon, Alto Adige - $24: Enticing aromas of flint, pear and mustard seed. Medium-full with very good concentration, lively acidity and flavors of pear, apple peel and jasmine tea. Long, well-structured finish with a distinct earthiness. Score: 90
Borgo Conventi, 2004 Sauvignon, Collio - $18: Intriguing aromas of pear, mandarin orange and bell pepper. Medium bodied with ample concentration and flavors of apple, pear and flint. Nicely balanced finish imbued with lively acidity and a light earthiness. Score: 87
Russiz, 2004 Superiore Sauvignon, Collio - $24: Spritzy aromas of pear, jasmine and ginger. Medium bodied with good concentration and flavors of apple, bosc pear and tangerine. Elegant finish with vibrant acidity and dried herb notes. Notable finesse throughout. Score: 89
Villa Russiz, 2004 De La Tour Sauvignon, Collio - $50: Complex aromas of quince, grapefruit, pear and peony. Medium-full with excellent concentration. Flavors of quince, pear and chamomile. Beautifully structured finish with amazing length and pinpoint acidity. This Sauvignon displays remarkable finesse and offers a generous mid-palate. Should drink well for upward of five to seven years. Score: 94
Jermann, 2004 Sauvignon, Venezia Giulia IGT - $33: Attractive aromas of gooseberry, apple jelly and vanilla. Medium-full with admirable concentration and flavors of apple, pear and lime. Rich, beautifully structured, lengthy finish with vibrant acidity and attractive white pepper spice notes. Score: 92
