Sauvignon Blanc is a green skinned grape originating in the Bordeaux region of France. It is planted all over the world. Sauvignon Blanc grapes create a crisp, dry, and refreshing white wine that is best served slightly chilled and pairs well with fish and cheese. It is one of the few wines that pairs well with sushi.

Sauvignon Blanc is the world’s 8th most planted wine grape. It is made in a clean, fresh style in stainless steel tanks but recently some producers are starting to use oak influences in their wines. One of our best selling wines is Kim Crawford’s Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. New Zealand’s wine industry is relatively young with most vines being less than 25 years old. Most New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc comes from Marlborough, a region on the southern island’s northernmost end. Another great wine growing region in New Zealand is Hawke’s Bay, located on the eastern coast of the northern island.

The primary fruit flavors of Sauvignon Blanc are lime, green apple, passion fruit and white peach. Depending on how ripe the grapes are when the wine is made, the flavor will range from zesty lime to flowery peach. What makes Sauvignon Blanc unique from other white wines are its other herbaceous flavors like bell pepper, jalapeño, gooseberry and grass. These flavors come from aromatic compounds called pyrazines and are the secret to Sauvignon Blanc’s taste.

In the USA Sauvignon Blanc wines are sometimes referred to as Fume Blanc wines. The Fume Blanc name was originated by Robert Mondavi. In the late 1960’s Sauvignon Blanc was suffering a negative reputation for being too sweet or too grassy and was being avoided by wine drinkers. Taking a cue from the Sauvignon Blanc-saturated region of Pouilly Fume in France, Mondavi labeled his wine Fume Blanc and used that name for his Sauvignon Blanc, which was dry-fermented and aged in oak barrels.