With the new season here, let’s talk about what makes a good summer wine: Something chill-able, for sure. A wine that will go with the foods you crave in warm weather. And maybe a wine that isn’t too pricey, in case you have a lot of thirsty people coming over this weekend.
Sounds like Sauvignon Blanc! This white wine is made from a versatile grape that can be made into different styles of wine, depending on where it’s grown and how the wine is made. All are perfect for drinking right now, as what’s likely to be a long, hot Texas summer gets underway.
The unique aromas of Sauvignon Blanc are easy to peg in a blind tasting. The wine’s herbaceous and tropical-fruit scents are sometimes accented with musky notes, yet its flavors are consistently fresh and bright.
Serve these lively wines chilled, 50-55˚. They’re a natural pairing for summer salads. And before you reflexively grab a red wine to accompany grilled entrees, Sauvignon Blanc is great with fish, shellfish, pork and chicken cooked over the coals. It will even pair perfectly with this Lemon Spaghetti recipe from our friends at Ceja Vineyards.
Some of our favorite summer Sauvignon Blancs come from the Southern Hemisphere. In the 1970s, adventurous winemakers began planting the native French grape in New Zealand. They grew them on cool and sunny hillsides, then aged the wine in stainless steel. Generally high in refreshing acidity, these New World wines offered up dramatic flavors of citrus, elderflower, peach and tropical fruit.
Within a decade, delicious and inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc wines from Marlborough and other New Zealand regions had won fans around the world. Now, the fruit-forward, New Zealand-inspired style is produced everywhere from California and Washington to Chile to South Africa to Australia.
Of course, Sauvignon Blanc has long been used to make world-class wines in France. In Bordeaux, it makes refreshing, dry white wines, as well as richly flavored blends with Sémillon and Muscadelle. Some, aged in oak, are full-bodied, cellar-worthy wines. In the Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc boasts more citrus and mineral flavors from the region’s flinty limestone soils.
Find a Sauvignon Blanc to go with your summer during your next visit, or shop online and choose express one-hour pick-up in store.
