Rock Ferry is hosting a special Organic Sauvignon day in May. Photo / Supplied
Rock Ferry is hosting a special Organic Sauvignon day in May. Photo / Supplied
INSIDER'S GUIDE TO... SAUVIGNON BLANC DAY
May 6 marks International Day of Sauvignon Blanc, so there's never been a better excuse to raise a glass. Herald Travel writer Thomas Bywater explores some of the best spots to sip, sample and savour one of the world's most popular drinks.
Crisp and fragrant as a May morning in Marlborough, New Zealand's sauvignon blanc is the toast of winemakers worldwide. Nine out of 10 bottles that leave the country are the prestigious white wine.
Since the Bordeaux varietal first took root in the New World, it has developed a cult-like following among oenophiles. You'll find it sprouting from Napa to Noordhoek. It might be the most successful grape to ever grace God's green earth.
It's fitting that the world's favourite white gets its own day of celebration, and here are a few places sure to be marking the occasion.
Crowds scale the Dunes east of Bordeaux. Photo by Eric Robert, Getty Images
Bordeaux
If you want to go back to the roots of this rich varietal, you need to look between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers in Entre-Deux-Mers. The green-skinned fruit first appeared here back in the pomace-addled mists of time.
Bordeaux is the "capital de vin" of Old World winemaking. With a greater density of listed buildings than Paris, the city has an old-school approach in general.
For a fresher take on the wine region, head 60 minutes west to the coast. Arcachon is a favourite beachy spot for French surfers and holidaymakers. Here you'll find Europe's tallest sand dunes and perfectly paired seafood with a glass of "sauvignon jaune".
Sauvignon Blanc might be the most successful grape to ever be grown. Photo / Getty Images
The Napa valley
Elysian wine fields of Northern California are home to some of the most extraordinary offshoots of sauvignon blanc. It possesses three integral ingredients for world-class wine tourism: sun, a maritime climate and money, sloshing in from neighbouring San Francisco. It's not by accident the world's most expensive bottle of the wine was sold here, for a cool US$500,000.
It's also where fumé blanc - oak-aged style of Sauvignon Blanc - has its origins. Named for its smokey white character, the style has now been adopted by many, including Otago's Amisfield wintery.
Over the past decade, Sauvignon Blanc has surged in popularity at California's expansive Napa Valley, where some of the most expensive bottles are sold. Photo / Getty Images
Romania
Vlad Dracula might have been partial to a full-bodied red, but Romania is one of the biggest growers of sauvignon blanc in Europe.
Happily, the hills of the Black Sea enjoy the perfect climate for the grapes. Unhappily, most results are disastrous. Gutted by the Soviet economy of scale, less than a third of grapes are of export quality. A renewed interest in wine tourism means there may still be a fairytale ending for the "Bordeaux of the East".
The recently established Dealu Mare cycling route passes through the Carpathians on a Balkan wine odyssey.
Bordeaux of the East,Romania is regaining a reputation as a wine region. Photo / 123RF
Marlborough
Sauv B. is the lifeblood of New Zealand wine. You'll find it on vines from Northland to Central Otago. However, south of the sounds, Marlborough is the undisputed epicentre of grape growing. More than 22,000ha of the region are bristling with the stuff.
By May, most pickers are about recovered from harvest, which makes it the perfect time for celebrating Sauvignon Blanc Day. Organic winery Rock Ferry is toasting a glass to the varietal on Friday, May 6. With bottles held back from 2006, paired with a taste of what's to come from the 2022 tank, it's a fitting tribute to a national tipple.
