Wset Intermediate 2009: Chapter 8: Sauvignon Blanc

Front 1

Flavors of Sauvignon Blanc?

Back 1

Sauvignon Blanc is an aromatic white grape variety; wines usually display strong aromas of green fruit and vegetation (gooseberry, elderflower, green bell pepper and asparagus)?

Front 2

Describe Sauvignon wines?

Back 2

--usually high in acidity, medium-bodied and almost always dry.

Front 3

Ideal Climates for Sauvignon?

Back 3

In order to show its vegetal-aromatic character Sauvignon Blance needs a cool climate though it will tolerate a moderate one.

Front 4

Moderate climates and Sauvignon?

Back 4

--From moderate regions, tend to lack the intense pungent vegetal complexity of wines from premium, cool-climate sites.

Front 5

Oak?

Back 5

Most varietal Sauvignons have no oak flavors, because the style sought is one dominated by refreshing fruitiness. Those aged in oak generally come from moderate regions, and oak adds flavors of toast and spice (vanilla, liquorice)

Front 6

ageing its?

Back 6

Most varietal Sauvignon do not benefit from bottle age: although they may last, lose their attractive freshness and rapidly become stale.

Front 7

Sweet wines--Sauvignon?

Back 7

with high levels of acidity is also suitable for sweet wines particularly in Sauternes.

Front 8

Premium Sauvignon Blank regions? Loire Central Vineyards?

Back 8

Villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume face each other across the Loire. Cool climate results in dry white wines with high acidity, medium body, with moderate or pronounced vegetal flavors.

Front 9

How do premium Sauvignon from Loire Central Vineyards compare with New Zealand's?

Back 9

These wines are usually more restrained than Sauvignons from New Zealand, but still have varietal green fruit and herbaceous notes (gooseberry, grass, blackcurrant leaf, nettle) often with a hint of smokiness that many associate with the soils here, which are in parts similar to Chablis.

Front 10

Bordeaux Sauvignons?

Back 10

Most premium white Bordeaux is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon, often with Semillon dominating.

Front 11

why add Semillon to Sauvigonon, especially w/ White Bordeauxs?

Back 11

Sauvignon alone is usually fruity, unsuited to ageing. W/ Semillon can help sustain fruit, and allows complexity to develop in bottle. Semillon generally adds body to blend.

Front 12

How is Semillon alone? why add Sauvignon?

Back 12

--Semillon alone can be rather bland and neutral in youth.
--adding Sauvignon brings aromatic fruit character and refreshing acidity, medium or full body, sometimes oaky.

Front 13

Best White Bordeauxs?

Back 13

the best wines from Cru Classe chateaux in the Pessac-Leognan AC and the best white, Graves AC, age well and develop honeyed toasty complex flavors in bottle.

Front 14

Other Premium Sauvignon?

Back 14

Cool climate in Marlborough in South Island, New Zealand--very expressive. --as producers try to diversify from others, some are restrained or show hints of oak or lees flavors or full-bodied.

Front 15

Class new Zealand Sauvignon?

Back 15

**Classic style is dry, with high acidity, no oak, medium-bodied and characterised by intense pungent clean varietal flavors (passion fruit, gooseberry, green pepper, blackcurrant leaf)

Front 16

why add Semillon to Sauvigonon, especially w/ White Bordeauxs?

Back 16

Sauvignon alone is usually fruity, unsuited to ageing. W/ Semillon can help sustain fruit, and allows complexity to develop in bottle. Semillon generally adds body to blend.

Front 17

How is Semillon alone? why add Sauvignon?

Back 17

--Semillon alone can be rather bland and neutral in youth.
--adding Sauvignon brings aromatic fruit character and refreshing acidity, medium or full body, sometimes oaky.

Front 18

Best White Bordeauxs?

Back 18

the best wines from Cru Classe chateaux in the Pessac-Leognan AC and the best white, Graves AC, age well and develop honeyed toasty complex flavors in bottle.

Front 19

Premium Sauvignon in New Zealand?

Back 19

Cool climate in Marlborough in South Island, New Zealand--very expressive. --as producers try to diversify from others, some are restrained or show hints of oak or lees flavors or full-bodied.

Front 20

Class new Zealand Sauvignon?

Back 20

**Classic style is dry, with high acidity, no oak, medium-bodied and characterised by intense pungent clean varietal flavors (passion fruit, gooseberry, green pepper, blackcurrant leaf)

Front 21

why add Semillon to Sauvigonon, especially w/ White Bordeauxs?

Back 21

Sauvignon alone is usually fruity, unsuited to ageing. W/ Semillon can help sustain fruit, and allows complexity to develop in bottle. Semillon generally adds body to blend.

Front 22

How is Semillon alone? why add Sauvignon?

Back 22

--Semillon alone can be rather bland and neutral in youth.
--adding Sauvignon brings aromatic fruit character and refreshing acidity, medium or full body, sometimes oaky.

Front 23

Best White Bordeauxs?

Back 23

the best wines from Cru Classe chateaux in the Pessac-Leognan AC and the best white, Graves AC, age well and develop honeyed toasty complex flavors in bottle.

Front 24

Premium Sauvignon in New Zealand?

Back 24

Cool climate in Marlborough in South Island, New Zealand--very expressive. --as producers try to diversify from others, some are restrained or show hints of oak or lees flavors or full-bodied.

Front 25

Classic New Zealand Sauvignon?

Back 25

**Classic style is dry, with high acidity, no oak, medium-bodied and characterised by intense pungent clean varietal flavors (passion fruit, gooseberry, green pepper, blackcurrant leaf)

Front 26

South Africa premium Sauvignon? 1st style of two?

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--produces high quality Sauvignon Blancs in two styles: some are pungent and fruit driven, like new Zealand, but usuallly less intense and complex.

Front 27

2nd Style of South Africa Sauvignons?

Back 27

--Others use oak to make less pungent, but can age in bottle, gaining toasty complexity. Follow Bordeaux model, but have a more intense, herbaceous varietal Sauvignon character.

Front 28

California and Sauvignon?

Back 28

most parts of Cali are too warm for the herbaceous characteristics of Sauvignon to be retained. Despite climate some interesting wines, especially in Napa Valley, often labelled Fume Blanc.

Front 29

Fume Blancs from California? Oak?

Back 29

Depending on producer and the target consumer, the style may be unoaked, lightly oaked or even heavily oak. C

Front 30

Compare Sauvignons from California to Chardonnays?

Back 30

Compared to oaked Chardonnays from same region, oaked Fume Blancs are generally a little less full-bodied and higher in acidity. Some of the vegetal varietal character of the Sauvignon Blanc (grass, asparagus) usually shines through spicy oaky flavors (toast, liquorice, vanilla).

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chile Sauvignon Blanc?

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Chile is emergin as a source of vegetal, fruit-led premium Sauvignon, particularly from cooler regions such as Casablanca Valley.

Front 32

inexpensive Sauvignons?

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outside of premium Loire appellations, France produces large volumes of inexpensive Sauvignon. Some of this is AC Wine (e.g. Touraine AC). Much basic white Bordeaux AC (usually "Sauvignon-Semillon" blends.

Front 33

Varietal Sauvignons from France?

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France is producing lots more varietal pure Sauvignon that is often less pricey. --Vin de Pays du Val de Loire and Vin de Pays d'Oc are also important.
--Chile, Cali, and South Africa.

Front 34

Sauvignon in blends?

Back 34

most important blends are dry white Bordeaux and Sauternes.

--"Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon" blends also made in Australia, USA, & Chile.