Summer of Sauvignon Blanc
Summer is all about sunshine, grilling out, going to the beach, and sitting outside with a glass of wine in your hand. Recently, the unofficial motto of summer in the United States has been “rosé all day,” but here at Vinhound, we think the Summer of 2019 should be all about sauvignon blanc. To learn more about the grape itself and where it grows, head over to our Wine 101 page on Sauvignon Blanc.
Not too long ago, to find the perfect summer pairing, the hard working tasters at Vinhound tried about a dozen sauvignon blancs. Our wines hailed from across the world, and had varying price points as well as quality. The wines were all served after about twenty minutes outside of the fridge, for peak enjoyability. Sauvignon blanc is, in general is pretty affordable, making it an ideal wine for sharing with friends in warmer temperatures.
The following four wines were our favorites, and should offer something for everyone.
Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc, 2018
This wine is the model for a sauvignon blanc from Marlborough, a famous wine region in New Zealand. We thought it had a nice tropical fruit -- think passion fruit -- flavor, and hints of green pepper. It is a well balanced mix of acidity, fruit, and pepper, and also offers some of that sauvignon blanc grassy-ness. This is a very drinkable wine, and is very quenching and refreshing for a hot and summery day.
St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc, 2018
From Napa Valley, California, this wine has aromas of tropical fruit, hints of grapefruit, and even has hints little hint of grassy and flavors to it. On the pallet, it was well-balanced and fruit-forward. We think it would pair best with food, especially softer cheeses and seafood.
Some Young Punks, Quickie, 2017
Straight from Australia, this Some Young Punks wine named Quickie has notes of passionfruit, kiwi, citrus, grass and green herbs. It had medium acidity with a good finish on the pallet. This wine is fun to drink on its own, or can be paired with food.
Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres Sancerre, 2018
As our only old world sauvignon blanc hailing from the Loire Valley in France, we thought this wine had a very bright and crisp smell, which included notes of green citrus, grass, and tropical fruit. This wine is acidic, with the tropical fruit notes lingering on the tongue. It is incredibly refreshing on a hot day.