The grape variety Sauvignon

Sauvignon is a highly esteemed grape variety renowned for producing wines with vibrant aromatic intensity and remarkable freshness. The archetypal Sauvignon wine is characterised by lively acidity and a pronounced bouquet often displaying notes of gooseberry, green apple, citrus peel, freshly cut grass, and occasionally more exotic hints of passionfruit or elderflower. On the palate, these wines are typically crisp, dry, and invigorating, with flavours echoing the nose alongside mineral undertones.

The grape finds its spiritual home in France, particularly the Loire Valley (notably Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé) and Bordeaux, but it also thrives in Marlborough, New Zealand, and cooler regions of Chile, South Africa, and Australia. In these regions, expressions range from the restrained, chalky and flinty French styles to the more exuberant, fruit-driven wines of the New World.

Sauvignon is most commonly vinified as a varietal wine, either unoaked or lightly oaked, to preserve its aromatic clarity. Some Bordeaux blends feature it alongside Sémillon, creating structured, age-worthy white wines.

Recommended pairings include fresh goat’s cheese, oysters, shellfish, asparagus, grilled white fish, and simple salads—dishes that echo and complement the wine's bright acidity and aromatic complexity.