SO SAVAGE: THE MANY SHADES OF SAUVIGNON BLANC AND WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU

Let’s talk about Sauvignon Blanc!

The grape Sauvignon Blanc is rumored to get its name from the French word, “Sauvage,” meaning wild. Sauvignon Blanc was one of the few indigenous grapes growing in Western France.

A lot of people love this varietal. And honestly? What’s not to like? Sauvignon Blanc is a zesty, highly acidic, fresh, green, and fun varietal with plenty of pep in her step. There’s a lightness to this grape, making Sauvignon Blanc the perfect choice for a Spring salad, sushi, or just about anything with veggies.

Besides these vegetal notes and citrus notes — some Somms pick up on… Cat pee?

… meow?

Don’t let this deter you from Sauvignon Blanc. It’s usually not a common aroma.

What I love about this varietal is that there’s pretty much a Sauvignon Blanc for every mood. If you’re a creature with many moods, I suggest checking out this multi-faceted varietal.

So you’re feeling…

AUSTERE & ELEGANT

Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux remind me of Audrey Hepburn.

They’re just… astonishingly gorgeous and have this delicate quality to them. Like… I don’t know… glass almost. Sauvignon Blancs from France — especially the Loire — are crystalline and mineral-driven.

They have prominent citrus aromas and some even have the aroma of Summer rain, or what we like to call petrichor. It’s an otherworldly scent, that is nearly impossible to describe. These also have a lovely tension to them — it’s almost like they are brimming with electricity when you drink them.

These types of Sauvignon Blancs are less weighty than their counterparts from New Zealand or California. They are quite gorgeous, and very much worth purchasing. Whenever I want to feel like a lady, I try to get my hands on one.

FUN & TROPICAL

I’m talking about New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. They’re about as cheery and easy-going as a field of sunflowers.

If you’re an easy breezy kind of person who loves going to the beach, the salt air in your hair and sand in your toes you should probably hit up some Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand. I freaking LOVE Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand. The quality is generally speaking very high, and prices are super low.

They’re creamy, with delicious aromas of passionfruit, jasmine, and — of course — kiwi. Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand are just… effortless. You don’t have to think too much about them and they go great with most meals.

WILD & LIKE BREAKING THE RULES

Napa Sauvignon Blancs are a wildcard. There’s no, “one size fits all,” sort of thing going on here, and that’s what makes them so special. You never know what you’re going to get. The unifying factor for these expressions of Sauvignon Blanc are you mandarin, peaches, and cream.

But like I said, there aren’t really any rules with Napa SBs. These Sauvignon Blancs are probably the weightiest out of the three, and tend to go the best with food. Some Napa SBs have a lot of green qualities, and you can expect to pick up on some notes of Taragon with these wines as well.

They’re not the delicate French Sauvignon Blancs, nor the flirty New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. These are Sauvignon Blancs with presence, and complexity. They say, “I’m here, damnit! Drink me!” And now, without further ado, let’s get to the…

PICK OF THE WEEK:

This wine has a very special place in my heart and I wanted to give a shoutout to this UNBELIEVABLE producer based out of Callistoga, Napa. May I introduce to you… This hidden gem. A BEAUTY of a Sauvignon Blanc:

@coquerelwines

Coquerel Wines “Le Petit Coquerel” Sauvignon Blanc 2019 -

Calistoga, Napa Valley $22.00

I can’t even begin to express my support and enthusiasm for this phenomenal wine. Coquerel Wines are a small, independent winery based out of Calistoga in the Napa Valley.

Their winemaker, Christine Barbe, is literally the Sauvignon Blanc whisperer. She just totally, 100% gets the varietal — not to mention is a delightful human being and a total badass who earned her stripes at the prestigious Château Carbonnieux. If you were to taste this wine blind, you would totally think it was a super expensive White Bordeaux, easily costing $50.00 or more. I promise you.

Le Petit Coquerel is bursting fourth with an incredible freshness, brightness, and purity of stunning citrus fruit and gooseberry — this is not typical of a California Sauvignon Blanc. The structure here is incredible, and the acidity and tension in this wine are on point.

This Sauvignon Blanc is a freaking steal, and is honestly 100% underpriced, coming in at $22.00. Like, I actually drink this wine and think, “Damn, I should be paying more for this.”

Me with the fierce AF, badass women at Coquerel a couple years ago. We sold a lot of wine that night.

I would definitely place this in the, “Audrey Hepburn,” tier of Sauvignon Blancs. It’s an elegant wine that is ravishing af, and is for sure something you want to drink if you want to feel like a million bucks. It pairs gorgeously with so many things, from caviar to vegetarian burritos from Trader Joes - trust me I’ve done it and it works. To me, this wine is the epitome of value and the wines I want to feature on our blog.

Since we are living in a largely digital world these days, with few of us going out to the grocery store, I suggest ordering this wine direct from the winery and having them ship it to you — I’ve linked the heading to their site.

California wineries need our support, guys! Especially due to the devastating fires that happened this year. And trust me, you WON’T be disappointed when you try this wine.