Ch11 Sauvignon Blanc

Question 1

Sauvignon Blanc Typical style

Answer 1

• Clean + Crisp + Refreshing + Unoaked

Question 2

Sauvignon Blanc Aromas and Flavours

Answer 2

• Aromatic = Green fruit + Vegetable (gooseberry, elderflower, green pepper, asparagus)

Question 3

Sauvignon Blanc Acidity, Body, Etc

Answer 3

• High Acidity + Medium Body + Dry

- High acid makes it suitable for sweet wines (blended with Semillon in Sauternes)

Question 4

Sauvignon Blanc Climate

Answer 4

COOL CLIMATE
- Needs a cool climate for herbaceous aromatic qualities

MODERATE CLIMATE
- Will tolerate moderate climate

Question 5

Sauvignon Blanc Oak

Answer 5

• Mostly unoaked

- Moderate climate may oak = Toast + Spice (vanilla, liquorice)

Question 6

Sauvignon Blanc Ageing

Answer 6

Most don’t benefit from bottle age, even if it does last, it loses attractive freshness and becomes stale

Question 7

Sauvignon Blanc France Regions

Answer 7

LOIRE CENTRAL VINEYARDS
- Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume facing across Loire river

BORDEAUX

• Graves AC
• Pessac-Leognan AC

Question 8

Loire

Answer 8

• Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume facing across Loire river
• Cool Climate = Dry + High Acidity + Medium Body
• Moderate or Pronounced aromas ofGooseberry + Grass + Blackcurrant Leaf + Nettle
• Similar Steely character to Chablis

Question 9

Bordeaux

Answer 9

• Graves AC
• Pessac-Leognan AC
• Most premium white Bordeaux is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc (Semillon dominating)
• Sauvignon alone = Fruity + Herbaceous + Grass + Elderflower + Not suitable for ageing
• Adding Semillon = sustains fruit + adds body + allows complexity to develop in bottle
• Adding SB = aromatic fruit + refreshing acidity
• Dry + Medium Body + High Acidity + Sometimes oaked
• Best white wines age well + develop honeyed toasty complex flavours in bottle
• Cru Classe chateaux in Pessac-Leognan AC
• Graves AC whites

Question 10

Unblended Sauvignon Blanc properties

Answer 10

Sauvignon alone = Fruity + Herbaceous + Grass + Elderflower + Not suitable for ageing

Question 11

Why blend Semillon

Answer 11

Adding Semillon = sustains fruit + adds body + allows complexity to develop in bottle

Question 12

Why blend Sauvignon Blanc

Answer 12

Adding SB = aromatic fruit + refreshing acidity

Question 13

Bordeaux White Style

Answer 13

Dry + Medium Body + High Acidity + Sometimes oaked

Question 14

Bordeaux White Ageing

Answer 14

Best white wines age well + develop honeyed toasty complex flavours in bottle

Question 15

Bordeaux Premium Sauvignon Blanc

Answer 15

• Cru Classe chateaux in Pessac-Leognan AC

- Graves AC whites

Question 16

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Area and Climate

Answer 16

• Marlborough, South Island

- Cool climate

Question 17

New Zealand SB Style

Answer 17

Very expressive Sauvignon Blancs in a range of styles

Question 18

New Zealand Classic Style

Answer 18

• Dry + High Acidity + Medium Body + Unoaked
  Intense, pungent, clean flavours
• Passionfruit + Gooseberry + Green Pepper + Blackcurrant leaf

Question 19

New Zealand SB Ageing

Answer 19

Best consumed young and fresh

Some develop vegetal in bottle (pea, asparagus)

Question 20

Australia Sauvignon Blanc

Answer 20

Adelaide Hills

- Intensely fruit + clean

Question 21

USA Sauvignon Blanc

Answer 21

• Napa Valley, California
  Most of California too warm for herbaceous characters
• Fume Blanc

Question 22

What is Fume Blanc

Answer 22

Fume Blanc
- Unoaked, lightly oaked or heavily oaked

• Some of herbaceous (grass, asparagus) shine through the spicy oak (toast, liquorice, vanilla)

Question 23

Fume Blanc vs Chardonnay from California

Answer 23

Oaked Fume Blanc is less full body + higher in acidity than oaked Chardonnays

Question 24

Chile Sauvignon Blanc Regions

Answer 24

• Casablanca and San Antonio

- Cooler climates

Question 25

Chile Sauvignon Blanc Characteristics

Answer 25

- Herbaceous, fruit led premium Sauvignon Blanc - Highly Aromatic + Refreshingly Fruity - Citrus + Green Apple + Grass

Question 26

South African Sauvignon Blanc Regions

Answer 26

Constantia (sea breezes) Elgin (altitude, intense fresh SB) Cooling effect causes late ripening = intense, fresh

Question 27

Describe two styles of Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa

Answer 27

Style 1 = Pungent + Fruit Driven like New Zealand but less body, intensity and complexity Style 2 = Oak makes wine less pungent but can age in bottle gaining toasty complexity. More Bordeaux style + Intense + Herbaceous

Question 28

BULK Sauvignon Blanc

Answer 28

Outside premium Loire - Touraine AC - White Bordeaux AC (mainly Semillon SB blend, but some SB only) - Val de Loire - Pays d’OC IGP - Chile - California - South Africa

Question 29

Sauvignon Blanc in BLENDS

Answer 29

- Semillon Sauvignon Blanc in dry white Bordeaux | - Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon in Australia, USA and Chile

Question 30

Effect of grape ripeness on style and flavour of SB from cool to hot climate

Answer 30

- Herbaceous (grass) - Vegetable (green pepper, asparagus) - Floral (elderflower) - Citrus fruits (lemon, lime) - Green fruit (goosefruit) - stone fruit (peach) - tropical fruits (passion fruits)

Question 31

Premium sites for SB

Answer 31

- Loire Central (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé) - Bordeaux (Pessac-Léognan, Graves) - Australia (Adelaide Hills) - New Zealand (Marlborough, more aromatic than Loire) - California (Napa Valley Fumé blanc) - Chile (Casablanca, San Antonio) - South Africa (Constantia, Elgin)