February is when seasonal green vegetables and herbs reign supreme. This late winter month provides arugala, avocado, bok choy, kale, spinach, artichoke, broccoli, celery, brussel sprouts, leeks, and collard greens. While all of these are very healthy, they are also notoriously difficult to pair with wine.
While Portugal’s Vinho Verde and Austria’s Gruner Veltliner are popular solutions to green food, none find a better resonant match than Sauvignon Blanc.
Qualitites and aromas from certain chemical compounds found in this green grape make it utterly unique, and a mind boggling match for troublesome veggies and herbs.
Notes of fresh cut grass, asparagus, peas, citrus, and even “cat pee” (you read that right), leap out of the glass of this highly aromatic wine!
It also helps that Sauvignon Blanc is the second most planted white wine grape on the planet behind Chardonnay, making it affordable and easy to find.
Grown on five continents it can express a wide range of aromas due to climate, soil, and wine maker’s technique.
History Of Sauvignon Blanc
Originally from France’s Loire Valley, this grape was named after it’s aroma, and tendency to grow wild amongst other grapes. “Sauvage” in French means savage or wild, and “blanc” translates to white.
This “savage white” wine is lean, bright, acidic, and highly aromatic. Cooler maritime climate tends to allow for slow ripening and a nice balanced acidity.
Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc made love to create the famous Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is why “green” traits like bell pepper and jalapeno can be found in cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s due to chemical compounds called pyrazines.
France’s Loire Valley has soil made up of a mix of chalk and limestone, allowing for a more mineral driven expression. Wines from this region show finesse and elegance. They exhibit citrus, light peach, and flowers with bright acidity.
Examples of famous wine regions in the Loire Valley are Sancerre and Pouilly Fume. Fume translates as smoke and the flint in the soil actually imparts the smell of smoke in the wine.
In the more warm and humid Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc shows more fruit, is aged in oak, and blended with the lightly honeyed Semillon grape to create “Bordeaux Blanc.”
Sauvignon Blanc Dessert Wines
Under the perfect weather and humidity in Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc can be affected by “Botrytis” or “the noble rot” in which the grapes are eaten at by a fungus resulting in super sweet berries that make the dessert wine called Sauternes.
I know it doesn’t sound appetizing but wines made from this “noble rot” are refered to as “nectar of the gods” and can be aged for over a hundred years!
Sauternes exhibit melon, orange marmalade, mango, and butterscotch. They’re mind blowing with salty blue cheese or foie gras.
The pinnacle of Sauternes is Chateau D’Yquem. Made famous by it’s big fan, Thomas Jefferson.
French Sauvignon Blanc To Try
- Clos Des Lunes Lune D’Argent Bordeaux Blanc $20
- Chateau Guiraud “G” Bordeaux Blanc $20
- J.C. Dagueneau Domaine Des Berthiers Pouilly Fume $25
- Florian Mollet Pouilly Fume $30
- Domaine Vacheron Sancerre $37
- J.C. Dagueneau Fume de Pouilly $80
Sauternes To Try
- Château Suduiraut $40
- Château Climens $50
- Château d’Yquem $300 +
In the 1880’s cuttings of Sauvignon Blanc from the famous Chateau D’Yquem made their way to California’s Livermore Valley via Charles Wetmore, founder of Cresta Bianca Winery.
Over-ripening can prove a problem for the grape in California and only a few small pockets in spots like Alexander Valley, and Dry Creek Sonoma, allow for slower ripening and perfect acid balance.
The ideal spot for Sauvignon Blanc was found in the 1970’s when the grape made it’s way to New Zealand’s southern island, Marlborough. Perfect cool weather exchange from the ocean, and sandy, quick draining soil on oyster beds, created the right conditions for grassy, tropical, crisp perfection.
Breakthroughs in planting Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand led to winemakers experimenting with the grape in Chile, Australia, and South Africa. These wines can show similar tropical notes to New Zealand’s Sauv Blanc with passionfruit and guava.
In the United States, cool weather areas in Washington state, and the Finger Lake regions proved accommodating to Sauvignon Blanc as they rest at a similar longitude as France.
Anywhere that the grape traveled outside of Europe is called “New World.”
New World Sauvignon Blanc To Try
- Dry Creek Fume/ Sauvignon Blanc (US) $11/ $17
- Honig Sauvignon Blanc (US) $17
- Laberinto Cenizas De Laberinto Sauvignon Blanc (CL) $18
- Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) $15
- Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) $38
Classic And Innovative Pairings
- Avocado Toast (Add Tomato For Acid)
- Caprese (Basil, Mozzarella, Tomato)
- Spinach And Artichoke Dip
- Goat Cheese
- Pesto Pizza
- Green Beans And Mint
- Pad Thai
- Thai Green Curry
- Fish Tacos
- Brussel Sprouts Gratin
- Spinach Paneer
There are subtle differences between expressions of Sauvignon Blanc within every country it’s planted. Some vineyards enjoy cooler nights and have sharper acid, while some sit in valleys that trap heat and show tropical notes. These variations result in many different possibilities for food pairings. It’s a constant exploration. Try to keep to lighter weight foods and recipes that have some acid like tomato or lemon. Enjoy!
Cheers!
