Sauvignon Blanc: white magic
Stand-alone or boosting a blend, this unforgettable character loves good food and makes good times
Freshly, lively, food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc is among the most instantly recognizable varietals. It flaunts piercing aromas of gooseberry, cut grass, asparagus, flowering currant, green pepper, nettles—and even cat’s pee. This cool climate grape reaches its apex of aromatic intensity and zesty crispness in France’s Loire Valley (showing a minerally, flinty, smoky, lemony character in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé) and in New Zealand (often bursting with ripe tropical fruit flavours in wines of the South Island’s Marlborough region).
In Bordeaux, it is traditionally blended with Sémillon to make less intense whites to go with local fruit de mers, and also sweet, botrytised dessert wine. Use of oak is the exception. Examples of oak aged Sauvignon Blanc include white Graves, a Sémillon blend, and Fumé Blanc, a name invented by Robert Mondavi for oak style Sauvignon Blanc.
Quick facts
- Coined in California in 1981, the term Meritage (pronounced like heritage) is the trademark for wines blended from traditional Bordeaux varieties
- White Meritage is made by blending two or more of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Vert
- Chile’s Casablanca region and South Africa’s Cape region are successful Sauvignon Blanc producers
Best way to enjoy
Food pairings: Loire style with goat’s cheese, asparagus quiche, salad, light fish, oysters; New Zealand style with flavourful seafood, vegetables, pork (slightly sweet and cooked with spices) and Meritage with richly sauced fish dishes, lobster
Temperature: 6-8 C
Type of glass: tulip-shaped wine glass
Read more of the original stories celebrated in our 30th-anniversary issue.
Celebrating 30 Years
The great part about anniversaries is taking time to reflect. Delving into our magazine archives, we once again came face to face with the passionate people who strengthen our communities and the creative artists who fill the Valley with art, song and laughter.
Okanagan residents win prizes for water conservation
The Okanagan WaterWise program has wrapped up its valley-wide outdoor residential water conservation campaign Make Water Work for another year with the awarding of prizes. There were three winners this year, one each in the North, Central and South Okanagan.
Okanagan spirits craft distillery mixoff 2018
Bartenders to wow the public with their creations for the 2018 Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery Mixoff Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery is once again showcasing the Okanagan’s cocktail culture to the public with the Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery Mixoff, November...
Wines of BC against the world in fourth annual judgement of BC
The Wines of British Columbia were put to the ultimate test at the fourth annual Judgment of BC on October 24, pitting 12 BC wines against 12 acknowledged global benchmarks. BC's Poplar Grove Winery The Legacy 2014 BC VQA Okanagan Valley ranked first among the flight...
Women in Leadership Event
Kelowna's leading women talk changing culture, equality and gratitude When: 7 p.m. Thursday, October 25, 2018 Where: Rotary Centre for the Arts Admission: Free or by donation at the door Third Space Life Charity* and the UBCO School of Nursing present a panel...
Making your own kind of music
What better way to celebrate three decades of Okanagan Life than printing a 30th-anniversary issue and penning a new musical libretto?
Regular readers of Okanagan Life will know that I go to great lengths to boast about, sell its advantages and invite all to visit our renowned Valley, which is humbly known as one of the prettiest, happiest and adventurous places—and what better locale to place my cast of musical characters?
