The best Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon blanc from NZ - ripe, tropical, overt, round, plump, but great acidity to back it all up. I'd call it the best sauvignon blanc in the world.

But, there are those who've disagreed with me on this in the past. Loire valley has a much more pungent, grassy, thin, crisp style of sauvignon blanc that has won many fans on this board. I'd call these the best old-world SBs in the world, particularly Sancerre.

NZ SB is fine, but simple and one dimensional. It will never hit the heights, depth, or complexity achieved in Bordeaux. Unfortunately the best white Bordeaux are expensive and many people pass them up for that reason. Anybody who's ever had an Haut Brion Blanc will not tell you the world's best SBs are the grapefruit juice from NZ.

I can agree with that ... wasn't considering Bordeaux 'cause I thought we were considering only straight SB.

Blends included and price being no object, Graves whites are pretty unbeatable. The '05s especially ... Smith-Haute-Lafitte and H-B are both awesome.

Didier Dagueneau from the Loire is the gold standard as far as I'm concerned.

I'm with WIML on Dagueneau. I personally like Pur Sang but all of his SB's are excellent.

This is kinda funny because if you ask a Kiwi or Englander they will tell you the best SB comes from NZ...So on and on (not that this is the case for anybody on this board)... I would say to understand and appreciate what each region offers in a SB, and then make decisions on what style you like best. Believe it or not...for the price...Kenwood makes one of the best SB's on the market.

quote:

This is kinda funny because if you ask a Kiwi or Englander they will tell you the best SB comes from NZ...

That is why we don't ask them.

Sauvingnon Blanc is a grape, like Pinot Noir, that takes on a strikingly different character depending on the climate where it is grown. Without getting into any argument about which region is best, you should try some of the excellent examples from Australia (esp. the Adelaide Hills), California (the richest, most saturated style), Italy, and South Africa.
Oregon and Washington come up with acceptable examples, and some from South America are not bad either. I've even had good bottles from Croatia and Slovenia.

I find the SBs from Europe, particularly the Loire Valley, are the most food friendly, but require more attention to appreciate.

Its great to get feed back...I would say that living close to the casablanca valley in Chile i would recomend the following SB´s.

William Cole - Bill and Mirador

Casa Marin

Catrala

Leyda

Indomita

If you can get hold of Bill by william cole you will have a treat its well complex almost creamy like a chardonay very balanced acidity.

It has a subtle nose caramel as well as fruit and tastes better than it smells.

Has anyone tasted Bill of the William Cole vineyard from the Chilean Casablanca Valley?

quote:

Originally posted by pape du neuf:
...California (the richest, most saturated style)

...require more attention to appreciate.

Sincere question: What do you mean?

Board-O is right, the 1989 Haut Brion White KS and I shared was one of the finest wines I have had.

I'm also on board with wiml, Dagueneau's wines can be very special indeed.

Let's not confuse stuff.

Don't dismiss a decent NZ Sauvignon because there exists something like a white Haut-Brion.

I'm very fond of the NZ style of making a sauvignon. It's to be drunk young and it has nothing to do with bordeaux blends. Calling it "grapefruit juice" sounds just prejudiced to me.

It doesn't mean there's nothing good coming from other parts of the globe and even entre-deux-mers produces some decent sauvignons (annex some sémillon) in a somewhat more accessible price range than the grand graves.

I like grapefruit juice and I like NZ SB. It just pales in comparison to the better SBs.

quote:

Originally posted by winetoursvalparaiso:
I live in Chile close to the casablanca valley and have become very fond of the Sauvignon Blanc from the region.

Can anyone tell me what they consider as the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world and what others i should try to compare wih what comes out of the casablanca. For example some people have told me that New Zealand makes the best. Is this true?

I would also recommend that you double check on the SB that you are drinking in Chile as recent ampelographical research has found that most of the SB plantings is actually Sauvignon Vert or Sauvignonasse, a less aromatic clone of SB.

quote:

Originally posted by Sancho Panza:

quote:

Originally posted by pape du neuf:
...California (the richest, most saturated style)

...require more attention to appreciate.

Sincere question: What do you mean?

Sancho,

Just about everyone knows what fruit smells and tastes like. People generally prefer riper fruits. Wines that are fruit forward are obvious and easy to like. New Zealand SBs typically have a citrus/gooseberry profile. The acidity adds more tartness than one usually wants in fruit, but on balance the fruit stands out more than the acid. California SBs tend to be riper still, and even easier for a beginning wine drinker to be comfortable with.

Loire Valley SBs are much more acidic. That acidity is often perceived as "mineral", although a chemical analysis would show no different mineral components than riper wines from elsewhere. The fruit flavors and aromas are there, just not coming at you in a big blast. Patience is rewarded in aging the wine longer, serving at a slightly higher temperature, aerating well, and sipping slowly. Having food to insulate your mouth from the acidity helps.

Another element is Sauvingnon Blanc is the grassy/new mown hay aroma. That can come through, or be entirely absent in SB from any region. It's an acquired taste, or maybe a never to be acquired taste for some.

Some one else can take over with the really advanced levels of appreciation involving cat pee, etc.

Navarro's Bin 128 Sauvignon Blanc is always a good buy, especially if you're a member of their pre-release program and buy a mixed case or more.

One to try if you can find it is Mondavi Reserve Fume' Blanc.! Wow! I ma usually not a big Mondavi fan, but when I got the bottle, it was 5 years old already but was one of the best wines I have ever had. I eneded up buying more of it. One that is more available and less money is the Stellenbosh SB from South Africa. Very nice wine!

quote:

Originally posted by winetoursvalparaiso:
Its great to get feed back...I would say that living close to the casablanca valley in Chile i would recomend the following SB´s.

William Cole - Bill and Mirador

Casa Marin

Catrala

Leyda

Indomita

If you can get hold of Bill by william cole you will have a treat its well complex almost creamy like a chardonay very balanced acidity.

It has a subtle nose caramel as well as fruit and tastes better than it smells.

Has anyone tasted Bill of the William Cole vineyard from the Chilean Casablanca Valley?

My wife and I were in the Casablanca Valley tasting a few weeks back and did indeed stop at William Cole. Excellent Sauvignon Blanc. We also enjoyed other examples in the valley. They were some of the best examples of SB I've had so far but, like above, I've not had any of the "best" from Bordeaux.

I like:

Chile: Casa Lapostalle

NZ Cloudy Bay

Calif: Ferrari-Carano, notably bec this one is oak aged.

I'm a wee bit late on this discussion, but it appears to me that there hasn't been a recent and credible international Sauvy-off. Personally, I think a linear, mineral, style with some sublte oak and lees contact suits my style preference (Mission Estate reserve hawkes bay svb 2009 for example). However, one can't say that bordeaux, loire, chilean or marlborough sauvy is better than the other until the sauvy drinking masses dictate through sales what their preference is. and its looking like Marlborough sauvy is heading that list in the u.k., canada, australia and the U.S. (this is based on growth and interest levels...not on actually facts...though I'm sure i'm not far off). Bring on a sauvy-off.

I really like NZ Sauv. Blanc and a few from the U.S. such as Joel Gott and on the higher end, Merry Edwards. Over the last year or so I have tried a several from the Loire. Sancerre would be at the lower end and the few Didier Daguenaus I've had at the high end. The wines from the Loire are way better and more interesting to me. There are quite a few really nice Bordeaux Blancs that can be had under $20. I've yet to have a high end white from that region, though.

My wife and I have really enjoyed the SBs from the Leyda Valley. They make nice summer patio wines and they are a great value. In terms of flavor profile, there are some similarities with NZSB; however, I have found more minerality which, for me, makes it more enjoyable.

Since I live (and drink) in France, I would have to say Sancerre.

quote:

Originally posted by mastermalbec:
I'm a wee bit late on this discussion, but it appears to me that there hasn't been a recent and credible international Sauvy-off. Personally, I think a linear, mineral, style with some sublte oak and lees contact suits my style preference (Mission Estate reserve hawkes bay svb 2009 for example). However, one can't say that bordeaux, loire, chilean or marlborough sauvy is better than the other until the sauvy drinking masses dictate through sales what their preference is. and its looking like Marlborough sauvy is heading that list in the u.k., canada, australia and the U.S. (this is based on growth and interest levels...not on actually facts...though I'm sure i'm not far off). Bring on a sauvy-off.

Bordeaux blanc is produced in rather small quantities, so using sales figures as a measure of interest/quality would be misleading. Lots of different styles being produced which is great for consumers. Personally my favorite Sauvignon Blanc is a nice Sauternes.

quote:

However, one can't say that bordeaux, loire, chilean or marlborough sauvy is better than the other until the sauvy drinking masses dictate through sales what their preference is.

The two are entirely unrelated.

What do the preferences of the drinking masses have to do with quality? By that logic, some winner of American Idol is a better musician than someone who can actually sing or play an instrument. Surely you wouldn't make that argument.

quote:

Originally posted by GregT:

quote:

However, one can't say that bordeaux, loire, chilean or marlborough sauvy is better than the other until the sauvy drinking masses dictate through sales what their preference is.

The two are entirely unrelated.

What do the preferences of the drinking masses have to do with quality? By that logic, some winner of American Idol is a better musician than someone who can actually sing or play an instrument. Surely you wouldn't make that argument.

...and McDonalds the best food, and Bud the best beer, and Kinkade the best art.

quote:

Originally posted by khmark7:
...Personally my favorite Sauvignon Blanc is a nice Sauternes.

Now that you put it that way...

+1

Years ago, Monetery Vineyards used to produce a Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc that was wonderful. I don't know whatever happened to the winery.