Yes, there are disgusting examples, and, depending upon your taste, exquisite samples of wine made from both grapes. But for diversity and the excitement of the unexpected that makes wine so much fun, give me Sauvignon Blanc. Its wines can be found in an endless variety of styles - in-your-face tropical-fruit cocktail with a “locker-room” bouquet, which I can do without; barrel-fermented, barrel-aged in the style of New World Chardonnay, some of which are great; wines that have varying intensity of citrus fruit with good acidity and moderate levels of oak, typical of New Zealand expressions of the grape; and then there are wines that have great acidity, with austere, minerally fruit and no detectable oak - I think of them as “vertical” wines that go razor-sharp down the middle of my palate without ever touching the sides of my mouth. In addition, there are often big stylistic differences within appellations and regions, depending on soil, climate and the hand of the wine-grower.
This outburst of passion has been occasioned by Chateau de la Presle’s Touraine 2000 Vieilles Vignes which swept me off my feet less than an hour ago. I knew from the Touraine appellation that it would be predominantly Sauvignon Blanc, but in a blind tasting I’d never have guessed it. I’d have opted for a Grand Cru White Burgundy which would have implied Chardonnay (although there are rare White Burgundies made of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris), but certainly not the Chardonnay we expect from the New World. This extraordinary wine is elegant and subtle, with exquisite fruit and perfectly balanced acid. A mere hint of oak - I am told that 25% was aged in new oak, 25% in old, often called ‘neutral’, barrels that serve as a porous container, allowing passage of air, and 50% in stainless steel. The Vieilles Vignes, meaning “old vines”,on the label is often mere window dressing, but in this case it may in part account for the wine’s complexity and lingering, other-world appeal. So what does it taste like? Sorry - aside from a delicious, hauntingly citrus-like note in mid-palate, I do not have the words, but I am transported ! I am looking forward to enjoying it with all kinds of light dishes especially seafood. You’ll not regret shelling out $28.99/26.09.
Keep in mind that, like many Old World wines, the Chateau de la Presle label says nothing regarding the grapes that went into the wine. I am assured that it is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, although Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay are allowed in the wines of Touraine, a Loire Valley appellation. Another Touraine example on our shelves, Domaine Deletang, 2002 “Cepage Sauvignon”, has an intriguing bouquet with hints of citrus. The fruit is sharply focused, but low-key and, unlike the Ch de la Presle, unmistakably Sauvignon. Enjoy with seafood or chicken - $13.99/12.59
Reuilly (pronounced “rwoo-ee”) is also a Loire Valley appellation and is always 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Claude Lafond’s Clos Fussay ‘03 Reuilly is typical of the appellation and poles apart from Chateau Presle’s Touraine. The Reully is intense, with grassy, citrus bouquet and fruit, and loads of acidity. By the way, that wine tasting descriptor, “grassy”, covers a multitude of vinous olfactory sensations, most frequently encountered in Sauvignon Blanc, the more pleasant of which are the smell of new-mown hay or grass and variations thereof, progressing to what is often referred to as “cat-pee”, or by me, as “locker-room”. I suspect that soil and more likely, climate are responsible for this characteristic. The grassiness of Lafond’s Reuilly is a true delight, especially with stronger flavored foods - $14.99/13.49 .
At their best, the Loire appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume offer wines that are of the razor-sharp, austere and minerally versions of Sauvignon Blanc - Domaine Cailbourdin ‘02 Pouilly-Fume “Les Cris”, $24.99/22.49, in this style, is out of this world with any seafood - so bright, tangy and clean.
The Sauvignon Blancs of New Zealand, especially those from Marlborough, are a reflection of the climate. Marlborough is a flat valley, bounded on the north, west and south by mountains and open to the Pacific to the east. Hot during the day, but cooled by a brisk sea breeze which blows in every evening before sunset. My current favorite is Monkey Bay ‘04- bright, vibrant, yet restrained tropical fruit and only $9.99/8.99 I was told, when we visited New Zealand that the labeling laws are quite straight forward - what ever appears on the label must be true, and my interpretation of this label is that it is a negotiant wine, the producer is anonymous and the Monkey Bay is a company in Woodbridge, California. But I quibble.
Tasman Bay ‘04 from Nelson on the western side, at the extreme north of New Zealand’s South Island is yet another manifestation of Sauvignon Blanc - light and crisp with an extremely delicate, perfumey and floral bouquet, that repeats on the palate. Stunningly unique - superb with delicate seafood the likes of sole or flounder. $15.99/14.59
There are many good South American reds, and many are exceptional values, but acceptable whites are few and far between. Manta ‘04 Sauvignon Blanc from the Central Valley of Chile is one of the few. It is delightfully fresh, and crisp with hints of tropical fruit. Unfortunately, the wine has a problem- its price. At $6.99/6.29, it is shunned and must be sold on bended knee!
Boschendal Grande Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc, has been on our shelves longer than any other South African wine. It is unique. Barrel fermented, but in a style that avoids the excessive oak that overpowers many New World, so-called “buttery”, Chardonnays. Like its predecessors, the ‘04 vintage strikes a perfect balance between the soft, almost sweet, oak; the rich Sauvignon fruit; and the creamy vanilla contributed by the secondary, malolactic, fermentation. It goes with many dishes, where its weight and texture offer an alternative to red wine. Excellent value at $16.99/15.29
The dominant grape varietals in white Bordeaux wines are Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon, sometimes alone and sometimes together. The label will invariably tell you nothing. You can usually distinguish between the two when comparing wines each of which is predominantly one varietal. The Semillon is usually richer and fuller (it is the grape of Sauternes). Muscadelle is often another unheralded component of white Bordeaux. The only thing you can be sure of is that it is never Chardonnay, in whole or in part. I recommend Ch Menaut ‘03, a white Graves which is 100% Sauvignon (it says so on the labels, both back and front). Beautifully rich and round and only $11.99/10.89. Another recommendation would be Chateau de Castelneau ‘03 Entre-Deaux-Mers, Its label says, (my approximate translation) “the blend has the vivacity of Sauvignon, the fullness of Semillon and the fruit of Muscadelle”. I second that in spades. And only $9.99/8.99.
Rick Lewis
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