French Sauvignon Blanc

There are two main French regions that specialise in Sauvignon Blanc – Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. The former produces both dry and sweet iterations, both of which are often blended with some Semillon for added depth and weight. As a result, the dry wines of Bordeaux’s Graves and Pessac-Léognan appellations offer a more textured, rounder style (sometimes via oak ageing), making them excellent food wines. The luscious, indulgent sweet wines of Sauternes, meanwhile, are a dessert in themselves. The Loire Valley’s Sauvignons are more linear, resolutely dry renderings of Sauvignon Blanc, with zesty, refreshing, citrus-based tones, and span such appellations as Pouilly Fumé, Sancerre, Menetou-Salon, Quincy and Touraine.