Sauvignon Blanc
Wine Regions
Sauvignon Blanc is grown all over the world.
The best areas are Bordeaux and the Loire Valley in France and Marlborough in New Zealand.
Sauvignon Blanc in France
France is known to produce the most elegant Sauvignon Blancs in the world.
High Quality areas / regions:
Loire Valley (Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé)
Bordeaux (Bordeaux Blanc).
Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé are two communes in France where (arguably) the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world is produced.
Sauvignon Blanc in Italy
Italian Sauvignon Blanc is known to be light and herbal.
High Quality areas / regions:
Trentino-Alto Adige
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Sauvignon is a common name for Savignon Blanc in Italy.
Italian Sauvignon Blanc is known to be light and herbal, but it grows in all regions of Italy, and is vinified in many different styles.
Sauvignon Blanc in Austria
Austrian Sauvignon Blanc is known to be light and herbal.
High Quality areas / regions:
Styria (Steiermark)
Sauvignon Blanc from Austria is little known in the world. The wines from the Steiermark wine region, where high altitude and limestone soils produce world class Sauvignon Blanc, are perfect combinations of the "new world" fruit-driven Sauvignon Blanc and the mineral style of Loire.
Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand
New Zealand produces the most popular Sauvignon Blancs in the world.
High Quality areas / regions:
Marlborough
Hawke's Bay
New Zealand is one of the largest Sauvignon Blanc producers in the world.
An aromatic fruit laden, rich gooseberry style has made New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc famous.
Marlborough is the biggest wine region in New Zealand, and totally dominated by Sauvignon Blanc.
Sauvignon Blanc in Australia
Australia can produce amazing variations of Sauvignon Blanc.
High Quality areas / regions:
Adelaide Hills (South Australia)
Margaret River (West Australia)
Sauvignon Blanc is an important grape for both Australian domestic and export markets.
Adelaide Hills has a good reputation for producing quality Australian Sauvignon Blanc, with intense passion fruit flavors and an refreshing acidity.
Sauvignon Blanc is also widely planted in the Margaret River region where it’s often blended with Semillon. The wines show gooseberry and tropical fruit aromas with high acidity.
Sauvignon Blanc in Chile
Chilean Sauvignon Blanc displays high acidity and delicious citrusy flavors.
Sauvignon Blanc from Chile are often referred to as "a Wine for Vegetarians".
High Quality areas / regions:
Casablanca Valley
Central Valley
Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa
South African Sauvignon Blanc is known to be ripe and tropical.
High Quality areas / regions:
Constantia (Cape Town)
Elgin (Overberg)
Sauvignon Blanc in USA
High Quality areas / regions:
| AVA | State |
|---|---|
| Napa Valley | California |
| Sonoma Coast | California |
| Los Carneos | California |
| Willamette Valley | Oregon |
| Columbia Valley | Washington |
| Red Mountain | Washington |
US Sauvignon Blanc production is primarily focused in California and in the cooler regions of Oregon and Washington.
In general, California is too warm for Sauvignon Blanc, but there are exceptions:
Napa Valley (The cooler areas)
Sonoma Coast in northern CA
Cooled down by ocean winds.
Los Carneos between Sonoma and Napa
Cooled down by the morning fog from the San Pablo Bay.
USA (Fumé Blanc)
The name Fumé Blanc is only used for American Sauvignon Blanc.
Region: California (Napa and Sonoma).