Feature Article
 Sauvignon
Blanc: A Great Summer Wine
Question: what’s the best
wine for the dog days of August? Answer: anything that allows you to
wander for
an hour in your temperature-controlled wine cellar.
It’s
been a hot, dry summer, and you’re not alone in feeling a bit parched.
This is the time of year when crisp white wines really appeal, and we’d
like to introduce you to one of our favorite summer houseguests: Sauvignon
Blanc. The charming thing about this varietal is its changeability. You
could open a Sauvignon Blanc every night for a week and still find
yourself delighted by some undiscovered nuance on the seventh day. The
key, not surprisingly, is in the terroir: the unique combination
of soil composition, topography and climate that magically imbues each
vineyard and its produce with its own personality.
Sauvignon Blanc is wonderfully responsive to the subtleties of terroir.
Taste for yourself the difference between the clean minerality and
delicate fruit of Henri Bourgeois’ Sancerre “Le M.D.” from France’s Loire
Valley and the rich texture and vibrant tropical notes in Murphy-Goode’s
Fumé Blanc from Sonoma. Both are crafted of 100% Sauvignon Blanc, yet the
wines echo their origins with remarkable clarity. Add to this the
preferences of the winemaker in the areas of oak ageing, malolactic
fermentation and yield management, and the opportunity for individual
expression blossoms.
It
was just this opportunity that inspired four seasoned wine-meisters
in 2003 to join forces under the flag of the Sauvignon Republic Cellars.
Founded on the principle that “Sauvignon Blanc expresses terroir
more profoundly than almost any other grape variety”, Sauvignon Republic
aspires to produce wines from their signature grape in every area of the
world in which the varietal has shown greatness: California, New Zealand,
South Africa, Chile and France. Prairie Wine Club members that receive
white wines can look forward to sampling Sauvignon Republic’s 2003 Sonoma
County offering, awarded 89 points by Wine Spectator and sealed with a
screw cap, in the near future.
Sauvignon Blanc is believed to have originated in France’s limestone-rich
Loire Valley, where evidence of viticulture goes back to the first century
A.D. The region’s most recognized wines, Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre,
traditionally 100% unoaked Sauvignon Blanc, set the standard for the
purest, most refreshing white wines in the world, and enjoyed tremendous
popularity in the 1970’s and 80’s. Sauvignon Blanc also gets credit
(along with Cabernet Franc) for parenting another of the world’s great
varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, in the 18th century in Bordeaux.
The
varietal has long been one of two “workhorse whites” in Bordeaux.
Sauvignon Blanc’s trademark herbaceous bouquet, flavor and crisp acidity
is the perfect foil to the rich, smooth viscosity of Semillon, yielding
dry white wines of lemony richness, minerality and lively acidity when
young, but with aging potential unequalled anywhere in the world. Robert
Parker in 2004 opened and reviewed a 1970 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
(White Bordeaux), awarding it 95 points for its “powerfully rich flavors,
complexity, great fruit and terrific acidity”. While wines of this
stature are few and far between, Parker asserts that “the best of
Bordeaux’ dry whites are profound, complex and fascinating, magically
combining the best characteristics of their component grapes”.
And
while Parker may extol the “magic” of these wines, the winemakers would be
quick to point out that Bordeaux’ white wine producers underwent a very
real and arduous transformation in the mid-20th century,
collectively changing their wine style from sweet to dry, instituting more
stringent standards for vineyard and winery management and introducing sur-lees
fermentation and oak ageing into the process. The first step in this
reinvention was an increase in the proportion of Sauvignon Blanc (vs.
Semillon) in Bordeaux Blanc. It revitalized many a foundering Chateaux in
Pessac-Léognan and Graves, producing wines with brighter, cleaner flavors,
better structure and, in some cases, a certain indefinable magic.
Further south, in Sauternes, producers of France’s fabled sweet dessert
wine continue to work the same magic that has served them well for
centuries. Sauvignon Blanc plays the lesser role to Semillon in
Sauternes, but the chemistry is critical, and the results are often
spectacular. Wine Spectator named Chateau Rieussec’s 2001 Sauternes its
2004 “Wine of the Year”, awarding it a perfect score of 100. Said Charles
Chevallier, estate director of Ch. Rieussec, “What was really exceptional
in 2001 was the Sauvignon. Of course, it is a small percentage of the
wine, but it gave wonderful aromas and acidity to the Rieussec 2001. [The
wine] is high in alcohol and very rich in sweetness, but it has the
acidity to age quite well.”
Perhaps nowhere else in the world does “wine” equate with “Sauvignon
Blanc” as completely as it does in the Marlborough region of New Zealand.
Producers such as Nobilo, Kim Crawford and Vavasour are grabbing the
world’s attention with their wonderful, fruit-forward Sauvignon Blanc
wines. Redolent of a summer’s garden, and balancing flavors of
gooseberry, papaya and nectarine against grapefruit-like acidity, these
are wines to drink young, and often. And while you’re venturing into
brave New World wines, grab a bottle of South Africa’s Buitenverwachting
Constantia Sauvignon Blanc before it’s all gone. Buitenverwachting means
“beyond expectations”, and this beauty certainly lives up to its billing.
Full-bodied, with notes of cut grass, lime zest, flint and flowers, it’s
a classic New World Sauvignon Blanc, begging for seafood and a hammock
under a shady tree.
So,
put a bottle in the fridge, and throw some shrimp on the grill. Come to
think of it, maybe we’ll survive summer after all.
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Patrick Fegan's Chicago Wine School provides a wide selection of wine
appreciation courses, both single evening seminars and five-week courses.
Mr. Fegan is a world-renowned wine scholar, who has been teaching about
wine for more than 30 years. Visit his website for a detailed
schedule:
www.wineschool.com
Store Location
We are located in downtown Lisle at the southwest corner of Burlington
Ave. & Main St.
Extra parking is available behind our building.
Hours of Operation
Mon - Sat 10 am - 8 pm
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July 26
Tasting at The View:
"This is Chardonnay?!"
When our ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) crowd tastes the wines we select,
that's the most often heard comment. The Chardonnay grape yields the most
diverse set of wine styles of any variety.
Come join us at The View on Tuesday, July 26, to taste a variety of
Chardonnay wines from around the world. You will be surprised and pleased!
Experience first-hand how this
versatile grape changes drastically in its final form, based on soil,
climate, and production techniques.
We'll sample six
wines, paired with
great appetizers from The View's chef. The View is located in Lisle,
at the Riverbend Golf Course, 5900 Hwy 53. Our tasting begins at 7 pm.
Cost is $25 per person. Call The View to register, 630-968-1920. (back to top)
Ladies Night Out: Aug 8
- Destination Wine Country
Our August Ladies Night Out event will explore different options and
considerations for planning a wine country tour. Our guest presenter
will outline ideas and tips for getting the most out of your wine country
vacation.
For our tasting that evening, we'll pair six
wines with hors d'oeuvres.
Cost is $25 per person. Please register by Thursday, Aug 4.
Ladies Night Out:
Monday, Aug 8, 7:30 pm
$25 per person
Call for Reservations: 630.435.9463
or 888.656.9463
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Legal Notice
on Ordering Wine
You must be 21 years of age or older to order any alcoholic beverage.
By law, we are allowed to ship wine to the following
states: Arkansas, District of Columbia, California,
Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and
Wyoming.
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