Sauvignon Blanc

The Different Expressions of Sauvignon Blanc ⁠

1. Domaine Fouassier Les Chasseignes Sancerre 2022:

• Climate: Cool continental climate with cold winters, mild summers, wide diurnal temperature variation, and a risk of spring frost.
• Soils: Stony limestone (caillottes) and Kimmeridgian limestone, providing excellent drainage.
• Winemaking: Biodynamic viticulture. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged on fine lees. No new oak to preserve the expression of the terroir.
• Tasting Notes: Mineral, taut, elegant, and linear. Citrus fruit and flinty notes with very high acidity.

2. Château Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc 2023:

• Climate: Moderate maritime climate with Atlantic influence, mild temperatures, and relatively high humidity.
• Soils: Deep gravel over clay and limestone, providing excellent drainage and heat retention.
• Winemaking: Fermented primarily in French oak barrels (a proportion new), followed by lees aging with regular bâtonnage.
• Tasting Notes: Broader and more complex in style, with greater palate weight, ripe fruit, subtle smoky notes, and a creamy texture while retaining freshness.

3. Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2024: 

• Climate: Mediterranean climate moderated by the San Pablo Bay, with warm days and cool nights.
• Soils: Well-drained alluvial and volcanic soils.
• Winemaking: Primarily fermented in stainless steel to preserve fruit purity. A small proportion is fermented in neutral oak and aged on the lees to enhance texture.
• Tasting Notes: Expressive and fruit-driven, with herbaceous notes of asparagus and boxwood (the classic "cat's pee" descriptor), balanced by ripe fruit, freshness, and excellent palate weight.

4. In Vivo x Sarah Jessica Parker Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023:

• Climate: Cool maritime climate with abundant sunshine, cool nights, and low annual rainfall.
• Soils: Free-draining alluvial gravels from the Wairau and Awatere Valleys.
• Winemaking: Reductive vinification in stainless steel with careful oxygen management to preserve volatile thiols. No oak influence.
• Tasting Notes: High aromatic intensity. Stone fruit and lime alongside herbaceous notes of bell pepper and tomato leaf. Vibrant, fresh, and explosive.

5.Vitikultur Moser Sauvignon Blanc Kremstal

• Climate: Continental climate with Pannonian influence moderated by the Danube River. Warm days and cool nights.
• Soils: Loess, gneiss, and primary rock.
• Winemaking: Sustainably farmed vineyards. Fermented in stainless steel with a short period of lees aging. No oak.
• Tasting Notes: Precise and elegant, showing citrus, herbaceous, and mineral characteristics with remarkable purity, freshness, and high acidity.