WTN/Wine Advisor: Another face of Sauvignon Blanc (Pastou 06 Sury)

[Robin Garr]

Another face of Sauvignon Blanc

What's the matter with Sauvignon Blanc? Next to Chardonnay, the variety that inspired the "ABC" or "Anything But Chardonnay" club, Sauvignon Blanc may be the most popular white grape that a sizable share of wine enthusiasts love to malign.

I'm as guilty as anyone else: Looking over my own tasting reports, I find only three Sauvignon Blancs among my last 100 tastings, lagging far behind such personal favorites as Pinot Noir, Syrah/Shiraz, Chenin Blanc, the popular Italian varieties and even trailing Chardonnay in my personal varietal sweepstakes.

So what's the problem here? In the marketplace, one issue may be simple unfamiliarity: Although Sauvignon Blanc-based wines are common, the name of the grape doesn't always appear on the label.

In France, the geographical name (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Bordeaux Blanc) takes precedence; the name of the grape usually goes unstated. In the U.S., the name "Sauvignon Blanc" was such a drag on the market that Robert Mondavi famously re-named the variety "Fumé" Blanc in a surprisingly successful effort to build up sales. In Northern Italy, it's often labeled just-plain "Sauvignon," producers apparently assuming that you can grasp the "Blanc" or "Bianco" by looking at the bottle. Only in New Zealand, and to some extent in California, is the full varietal name commonplace.

Then there's the inescapable question, "What's in <i>this</i> bottle?"

As I discussed in the Aug. 13, 2007 <i>Wine Advisor</i>, Many faces of Sauvignon Blanc, this grape shows a bewildering array of personalities. Depending on decisions that range from the vineyard (yield, sun exposure and leaf canopy management) to the winery (dry or off-dry; to blend or not to blend) and the barrel room (full or partial oak treatment or none), Sauvignon Blanc can range from tart to softly sweet, light-bodied to unctuous, citric or herbally "grassy" or somewhere in-between.

I went through a period of being smitten by New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, particularly after Cloudy Bay burst on the world with its bold limey, "gooseberry," green chile pepper aromas and flavors and soon inspired a wealth of competitors. But Technicolor soon overwhelms, and frankly, competition has also inspired overproduction and excess yields, and the Kiwi rendition isn't the sure bet that it used to be.

California Sauvignon Blanc suffers a similar unpredictability, and nothing came of early efforts to encourage a consistent style for oak character in wines labeled Fumé Blanc versus unadorned fruit in those labeled Sauvignon Blanc.

Chilean Sauvignon Blanc mirrors the California style, in my experience, and usually the lower budget end of the niche. And back in the Old Country, Italian Sauvignon can be intriguing but is awfully rare; and in White Bordeaux (a Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend), you have to kiss an awful lot of frogs before you find a (usually pricey) princess.

For me, though, if I'm to get excited about a Sauvignon Blanc, it's probably going to be from the Loire Valley, and very likely a Sancerre. Stick with respected producers in good years (the currently available 2005 was fine, 2006 good but variable), and you'll be rewarded with a Sauvignon Blanc that achieves that all-too-rare and desirable quality of <i>balance</i>, bringing together steely acidity, snappy citric fruit, subtle herbaceousness and intriguing stony minerality in a well-rounded package. That's a lot to like, and if it inspires a cinema analogy closer to <i>noir</i> than Technicolor, I have no problem with that.

Today's tasting, the recent 2006 release of Paul et Jean-Marc Pastou's <b>La Côte de Sury</b>, is a splendid example of old-vines Sancerre, certainly one of the successes of this vintage.

<table border="0" align="right" width="170"><tr><td><img src="http://www.wineloverspage.com/graphics1/sury1109.jpg" border="1" align="right"></td></tr></table>Pastou 2006 "La Côte de Sury" Sancerre Vieilles Vignes ($22)

Clear straw color with a slight brassy-green hue. Appealing Sauvignon Blanc, crisp citrus and subtle grassy aromas. Clean and bright, flavors follow the nose, tart lime and pleasant herbal notes over fresh-fruit acidity and a sense of "rainwater" minerality with snappy lime in a very long finish. Outstanding Sancerre, showing beautifully. U.S. importer: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, Calif. (Nov. 9, 2007)

<B>FOOD MATCH:</b> Fine with shellfish; an excellent match with an "uptown shrimp and grits" recipe that I'll feature in tomorrow's <i>30 Second Wine Advisor FoodLetter</i>, elevated with creamy goat cheese and espresso-chipotle red eye gravy.

<B>VALUE:</B> As quality Sancerre prices push into the $20s it starts losing its luster as an everyday wine for most of us; nevertheless, this tag is fully justified on the basis of pleasure and flavor interest.

<B>WHEN TO DRINK:</B> A wine of this quality and balance should hold up for a while, but it's so beautiful at this young, fresh stage that I would have a hard time making an argument for setting it aside.

<B>WEB LINK:</B>
Here's a fact sheet on Paul et Jean-Marc Pastou's "La Côte de Sury" Sancerre on the U.S. importer's Website:
http://www.northberkeleyimports.com/wines/index.php?partno=80030

<B>FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:</B>
Check prices and find vendors for Paul et Jean-Marc Pastou's Sancerres on Wine-Searcher.com:
[url=http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Pastou%2bSancerre/-/-/USD/A?referring_site=WLP]http://www.wine-searcher.com/
find/Pastou%2bSancerre/-/-/USD/A?referring_site=WLP[/url]

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the cuve listed by US stores seems to be a different one than the 'sury'. what's up with the name differences, robin?

[Robin Garr]

the cuve listed by US stores seems to be a different one than the 'sury'. what's up with the name differences, robin?

Total puzzlement to me, Dave. I see the Sury every year in Louisville, and North Berkeley distributes it nationwide. I have no idea why we get that oddity from Wine-Searcher.com.

I know it's out there in the US as Sury, though, because not only did I buy it this year, but I buy it in most vintages.

do the stores in louisville have it now - in the 2006 - which is a very good vintage in that area? i have a friend there.

[Robin Garr]

do the stores in louisville have it now - in the 2006 - which is a very good vintage in that area? i have a friend there.

Sure, Dave, that's where I got it.

Tell your friend to look at Gemelli Wines on Brownsboro Road (next to Doll's Market). They have a special relationship with North Berkeley, and may be the only place in town that has the Sury.

I went through a period of being smitten by New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, particularly after Cloudy Bay burst on the world with its bold limey, "gooseberry," green chile pepper aromas and flavors and soon inspired a wealth of competitors. But Technicolor soon overwhelms, and frankly, competition has also inspired overproduction and excess yields, and the Kiwi rendition isn't the sure bet that it used to be.

Oh dear - over production and excess yields. We could look to any wine region and you will find producers that are guilty of that. Even in Sancerre. So methinks that's a pretty sweeping and probably unjustified statement you have made. I don't know the brands you see and at what age you see them, but believe it or not, there is an incredible diversity in NZ Sauvignon Blanc with some incredibly exciting wines being produced.

Wish I could get excited about Loire. Had two a couple of weeks ago. One was so reductive, it as described as 'being volcanic in its sulphur regime' - and yes it had a cork closure. The other was called 'Silex', but where was the sauvignon blanc character? Lucky I didn't know this wine's 'status' because I couldn't then look for things that weren't there. A King's New Clothes wine', all hype and no flavour.

Sauvignon Blanc that achieves that all-too-rare and desirable quality of <i>balance</i>, bringing together steely acidity, snappy citric fruit, subtle herbaceousness and intriguing stony minerality in a well-rounded package. That's a lot to like, and if it inspires a cinema analogy closer to <i>noir</i> than Technicolor, I have no problem with that.

If only we could have found those more Loire wines like that 30, 20, or even 10 years ago, NZ Sauvignon Blanc would never have been the success that it is.

Hey, you didn't expect me to let you get away with that NZ statement without some kind of retaliating comment?

What's the matter with Sauvignon Blanc? Next to Chardonnay ... Sauvignon Blanc may be the most popular white grape that ... wine enthusiasts love to malign.

In a word: Wood. Hereabouts that's been a big complaint for years (followed by stylistic sameness) about both these varietal wines, especially as usually made in California. In contrast, many interesting examples I've seen of both varietals (first from elsewhere, but increasingly from California too) are lightly or non-oaked, as is traditional in some European regions.

One woman (from Scotland) who knew her wines put it plainly, looking at a bottle of SB: "It's the wrong color. It's too yellow. That's from the wood, not the grapes."

i used to say that since the french drank so much loire cab franc - which at the time was quite heavy on the bell pepper - that anyone could get used to that and cool climate growing areas just had to push the style until it caught on. THEN, NZ snuck in the white version and proved i was correct. you CAN convince people that under ripe wine tastes perfectly normal and good. so much so, that if you are REALLY used to it, the ripe version makes you say "where is the SB character". the signature taste of SB is now methoxypyrazine. now we have to get the same job done with red wine and cool climate wines will be, well, REALLY COOL!

i used to say that since the french drank so much loire cab franc - which at the time was quite heavy on the bell pepper - that anyone could get used to that and cool climate growing areas just had to push the style until it caught on. THEN, NZ snuck in the white version and proved i was correct. you CAN convince people that under ripe wine tastes perfectly normal and good. so much so, that if you are REALLY used to it, the ripe version makes you say "where is the SB character". the signature taste of SB is now methoxypyrazine. now we have to get the same job done with red wine and cool climate wines will be, well, REALLY COOL!

Um, maybe not. If you had ever tasted a cabernet sauvignon from Marlborough, you will realise why most of it has been pulled out. Herbs and capsicum is fine in a zingy white it seems (though mthxyprz is only a small part of SB's flavours), it is not at all what red wine drinkers here want.
Fine in theory, just not in practise. .

ummm - how should i have written it to show that my tongue was firmly in my cheek. imo, bell pepper shouldn't be ANY part of SB's taste. and i hope no one thought they could grow sauvignon in NZ; but franc - well maybe. i still think you could get away with some bell pepper in CF is you made it as soft as the SB's - about the same .7% RS should do it.

After Robins statement, I expected some hearty response. Picking up on the green pepper, the early wines from Montana showed this along with excessive asparagus and mushy peas! Styles have changed down there and I like the current style but still come across NZ SBs that exhibit this description. Me. I love them all....Drylands, KC, Matua Valley, etc. Still looking for St Clair.

When I first discovered NZ sauvignon blanc about six or seven years ago, I was thrilled. I had found a wine that had the tastes of my childhood in Brazil: mango, passion fruit, and guava. Suddenly, Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, which I loved, seemed frumpy and staid by comparison. Over the years, however, Cloudy Bay, Coopers Creek and Cairnbrae have all fallen increasingly short of my expectations, so I regretfully find myself having to agree with Robin's assessment, though based on a very limited number of brands (would love to be pointed elsewhere). Three days ago I opened a 2006 Cairnbrae Stones and a 2000 Cairnbrae Noble Riesling and had them with tuna salad and pâté, respectively, and both wines disappointed. I do agree that Silex is a horrendous name. While many Loire producers are mediocre and Loire SBs don't deliver the tropical fruit that Kiwi SBs are known for, at their best the former are, IMHO, still the deepest and most refined expression of this grape.