International Trends - Europe
The Origins of Sauvignon Blanc and the New wave of Loire Producers bringing it up to date THE LOIRE VALLEY IS ONE OF FRANCE’S GREAT WINE REGIONS. AS ONE ENTERS THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER AND TRAVELS EAST TOWARDS THE SOURCE, STYLES AND VARIETIES CHANGE TO SUIT THE TERROIR, THE CUISINE AND THE PEOPLE. IT IS HERE, DESPITE RECENT EFFORTS BY THE NEW WORLD, THAT ONE FINDS THE GREATEST EXAMPLES OF THE SAUVIGNON BLANC GRAPE. Words Ken Gargett Some years ago, a clever man from New Zealand took an obscure Chinese fruit, the Chinese gooseberry, renamed it and turned it into an international phenomenon called Kiwi fruit. They did much the same thing with Sauvignon Blanc, often shortened to Sauv Blanc or even just Savvy, taking a grape few knew and transforming it into a global smash for those who like a cheap and cheerful shot of flavour. Regions that formed part of the Loire, like Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, had been making Sauvignon Blanc wines for a great many years but under the French system, wines are labelled by region and not variety, so many wine lovers had no idea that they had been enjoying Sauv Blanc for years. Prior to New Zealand’s entry into this market, Sancerre, especially, had been extremely popular as a go-to wine in bistros
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and restaurants. Its suitability to a range of foods, and the value it represented, made it an ideal choice. As popular as Kiwi Sauv Blanc is, if there is one thing that we know about wine lovers, it is that they graduate. After a while, simple and pleasant is not enough. They want complexity, character, texture and quality. And for this, with Sauvignon Blanc, they must turn to the Loire. The Loire Valley is the spiritual home for this variety, the place it originated and the location to look to experience what the future holds for it. Despite competing claims, authorities believe the grape originated in the Loire Valley. There are mentions of it as far back as the 1500s. Sauvignon Blanc offers an appealing burst of acidity and flavours that are alluringly fresh and vibrant – grassy
notes, nettles, gooseberries, sometimes moving to more tropical characters, notably passionfruit. Grown widely throughout France, it is, as Jancis Robinson says, “in the Loire that Sauvignon Blanc finds its purest expression”. The main regions are Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume where, usually offered as a single, unoaked varietal, it reflects its terroir most definitively. Other Loire regions where Sauvignon thrives include Reuilly and Menetou-Salon, where limestone soils provide a more rounder style, which many love. The aromatics from Sauvignon Blanc grown in Menetou-Salon are especially prized. These regions are gaining more and more interest in Australia, not least as they offer such good value. Quincy and Coteaux du Giennois are other Loire
