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SAUVIGNON BLANC Sauvignon
Blanc is the varietal that literally put New Zealand on the world’s fine
wine-making map.In 1986 the Cloudy Bay Winery in Marlborough released its 1985 Sauvignon Blanc. The wine gained instant recognition and had a major impact on the style of Sauvignon Blanc produced in the United States. At that time, many American winemakers were treating Sauvignon Blanc as a substitute for Chardonnay. They employed techniques like barrel fermenting and aging, malolactic fermentation, and sur lie aging. And they produced wines that were similar to the buttery, full-bodied Chardonnays that were then in fashion. Cloudy Bay represented a different style and set the stage for many other Sauvignon Blanc producers in New Zealand. Today a typical Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region is a classic “cool climate” white – crisp, high in acidity, usually unoaked, grassy, with flavors of citrus and grapefruit. Although somewhat different in style, these wines are often compared favorably with Sancerre (100% Sauvignon Blanc) from the Loire region in France. |
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