Almost wine time...

Sauvignon Blanc, or ‘sauv blanc’, is a typically a dry white wine originally from the Bordeaux region and Loire Valley of France where it is still produced in great numbers today and often blended with Semillon to produce Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé blends. This particular grape variety enjoys temperate climates and so has been successfully grown and produced in Australia, New Zealand, Chile and the United States, with many fine examples of this light bodied variety climbing on to the world’s stage in recent years. 

The Wine Collective draws on experienced wine experts and Australia’s Wine Society with over 70 years of wine tasting and recommending. We are always thrilled to bring you our most recent discoveries as all of the classics we have found along the way. The world of white wine is always changing, with exciting new producers experimenting in their small and medium sized vineyards and wineries to find the next perfect bottle and the best vintages. Our selection of whites includes all of the classics like Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Riesling, as well as a variety of white blend wines including Semillon Viognier, Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Semillon Riesling Chardonnay, Semillon Chenin Blanc Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Wines. From there it is a short step to dessert wine varieties and Tawny Port before sampling the bubbles of our sparkling wine collection.

Our collection of sparkling white wines includes Prosecco from producers like Innocent Bystander, Sparkling Pinot Noir, Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling Riesling, Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir,  Sparkling Chardonnay, as well as our selection of sparkling red wine varieties including Sparkling Shiraz, Sparkling Shiraz Cabernet and Sparkling Merlot Wines. 

If you are a red wine drinker as well then you will know about delectable classics including like the delicate sweet and dry Rose wine varieties, local and international Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Cabernet Merlot, Pinot Noir from stunning local producers like Crackerjack, Vasse Felix and Paringa Estate. What about the red blend wines? Why not sample the Shiraz Blend and Merlot Malbec Cabernet?

If you’re looking for something a bit exotic, try Cabernet Malbec Shiraz, Grenache Shiraz Touriga, Grenache Mataro Shiraz and Shiraz Petit Verdot Cabernet. Return to the sparkling choices in refreshing reds like Sparkling Shiraz Wines and Sparkling Rose. 

The history of the Sauvignon Blanc begins in France, where most superior wine varieties tend to originate, but it does not end there. It was first referenced as far back as the 1500’s but is typically thought to have developed real popularity throughout the seventeenth century. The Loire Valley and the Bordeaux region where it first started – and continues to be grown and produced – are renowned for producing very dry Sauvignon Blanc with high acidity levels. There it is usually paired with seafood dishes including oysters and delicate fish like sole, herbal and briny sauces with plenty of fresh and zesty herbs, as well as tangy dairy dishes. 

This versatile grape variety, despite being a white grape, is also the parent of the cabernet sauvignon grape, a relationship only recently confirmed via plant pathology and DNA testing. As a highly versatile grape variety, it has very successfully been grown outside of France with many Australian regions boasting very fine examples of this dry white wine. Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc is gaining recognition internationally as one of the finest examples of the type while Marlborough Hills in New Zealand also enjoys a very fine reputation for delivering crisp and refreshing selections. The antipodean Sauvignon Blanc tends to differ quite a bit from the traditional French variety.

Characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc, like more wine grape varieties, will vary depending on where the grape is grown with different regional climates and soil composition impacting the final flavours to sometimes add complexity and sometimes deliver punchy sweetness and tropical overtones. Variations like the fruitiness of the flavours will sometimes evoke echoes of lime, peach and apple and other times deliver an almost grassy and herbal aroma. Given the wide variety of flavours possible from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, food pairing options abound. It generally pairs very nicely with goats cheese and crisp green vegetables, regardless of the wine region in which it has been produced, as these two foods tend to help bring out the flavours of the wine. 

Varieties grown in the Loire Valley, the grape’s ancestral home, as mentioned earlier tend to be very dry and are often described as having gooseberry and nettle characteristics with a very crisp tasting acidity. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will usually lean toward herbaceous characters with intense citrus flavours and tropical fruit tones. Australian wine from Western Australia is typically sweet and tropical tasting due to the warmer climate in which the grapes are grown, while the cooler Adelaide Hills is perfect for developing the signature crisp and fresh Sauvignon Blanc flavours so highly prized in France. King Valley sauvignon blanc also offers that classic crispness with its cooler climate location in southern Victoria while Orange in New South Wales is fast becoming a serious contender with the combination of his altitude and cool climate geography proving a very successful area for producing crisp, herbaceous white wines. 

How long can you keep Sauvignon Blanc?

Most white wines, once opened, will keep well in the fridge for about a week if they’re sealed and not agitated too much. Always store an opened bottle lying down and resealed, never on the door of the fridge where it will typically rattle around. This is especially true of sparkling wine varieties. 

If you are considering cellaring your Sauvignon Blanc, then you have a few options. Most Sauvignon Blanc is young and when pulled off the shelf it’s expected to be drunk quite quickly. Having said that, most off the shelf varieties will keep for a couple of years in a cool and dark environment, with consistent temperature. Remaining consistent with temperature is the key factor when storing your wine as spikes in temperature can lead to ‘cooking’ your wine and fouling the taste of it. There are one or two New Zealand varieties which have been developed specifically for aging, describing the process as bring depth and character to their wine and an almost honeysuckle softness in the finish.

If you are storing wine bottles with corks in your cellar, always store them lying down. This ensures that the corks stay wet and do not shrink, allowing air inside the bottle and also preventing the cork from crumbling when it comes time to finally drink your aged wine.

All of the wine available online to order from The Wine Collective has been personally tested by our wine experts and their tasting notes are available to view before you order. We take our wine very seriously and our love for it is expressed through our desire to bring the best and finest examples from small and medium sized producers to Australian wine drinkers who we know will love their passionate creations. That includes our selection of Sauvignon Blanc wines and blends.

Order online today and have your latest wine selection delivered directly to your door anywhere in Australia.