Sauvignon Blanc Takes the Helm

I've watched with amazement as customers hauled the stuff away by the caseload, turning their backs on other white wines as though chardonnay were the nectar that would heal the planet.

After a little tasting on the side, I realized that the chardonnays people were consuming in volumn had some of the qualities I do like - crisp acidity with hints of citrus (leaning heavily on green apple and pear) and maybe a little herb. Still, it tasted like, well, chardonnay - and I don't like chardonnay!

Enter sauvignon blanc, the sleeper that has now become the white wine of choice in some of the nation's top restaurants. as noted by Wine and Spirits Magazine.

Value seekers love sauvignon blanc because it's relatively inexpensive and pairs nicely with many foods, from oysters to Thai curry, pork, salads and beyond.

In the magazine's first poll in 1989, chardonnay accounted for 44 percent of wine sales; this year, that percentage was 14.8.
In 2006, sales of $10-and-up sauvignon blancs climbed 22 percent from 2005, according to a report from Information Resources Inc., an independent company that tracks retail sales.
But what about pinot grigio?

One writer had a pretty good take on it:

"Unlike today's other trendy white, pinot grigio, most of which has about as much flavor interest as box wine, sauvignon blanc shouts its personality. The quality-to-price ratio is part of the appeal; most sell for less than $20."

Originating in France, sauvignon blanc is now grown worldwide. It's inexpensive to produce and vintners enjoy a quick turnaround from harvest to bottle, so the cashflow is excellent.

Today, the top sauvignon blanc sources are France, where sancerre is a top wine bar staple, New Zealand and California, which has thankfully abandoned its same-old, same-old chardonnay-wannabe approach.

South Africa, Italy, Austria, Chile and Australia are stepping up to the plate, too, and are waiting in the wings to benefit from what may turn out to be their cash cow of the century!.

While luscious acidity is the common thread, the wines can range from simple to complex, light to full-bodied and no oak to barrel aged, with flavors from citrusy to tropical and exotic to grassy to flinty.

(Put me down for a glass of citrusy!)

The Marlborough region of New Zealand produces an intensely grassy-grapefruity wine that has revolutionized sauvignon blanc production. By adding a little oak and/or sourcing grapes from other terroirs, different flavor profiles continue to emerge.

Wine makers are "fine tuning" their sauvignon blanc production with trials in methods like picking the grapes at night and letting them ripen longer before harvest.

In this sense, the wine we already love is actually a work in progress!

Anywhoo, now it's official.

People are "tard of chard," and sauvignon blanc is the heir apparent to the crown of public preference.

Enjoy!