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another grape with cool-to-moderate climate affinity, but there are some major differences. First, Sauvignon Blanc’s best regions, while cool to moderate, are closer to the equator, and thus warmer, than Riesling’s. As such, its flavors are different and can be noticeably riper. Second, I am sure you remember from Chapter 3 the very distinctive grassy/herbaceous character of Sauvignon Blanc. This is especially evident in the cool-climate versions. The cool-zone strongholds for Sauvignon Blanc are the Loire Valley’s Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé regions, and New Zealand’s Marlborough district. These versions rarely use oak. By contrast, the main moderate-zone regions for Sauvignon Blancs—Bordeaux, France, and coastal California—often use oak as a complement to their fuller fruit style. It is also common practice in these two regions to blend in Sémillon (Sem-ee-YOHN), another white grape that further enriches the fruit style.

Fumé blanc is what a lot of American wineries label their Sauvignon Blanc wines. The name, originally coined by the famous Robert Mondavi winery, was inspired by the classic French Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc region, Pouilly-Fumé and the wines from there, which used to be called “blanc fumé” due to the morning mists that looked like smoke (fumé) rising off the vineyards. Generally, American Fumé blancs are among the fullest-bodied styles of Sauvignon Blanc, due to the warmer grape source (usually California versus the Loire Valley and New Zealand), and the common practice of aging this style in oak barrels.

Choose among these styles of Sauvignon Blanc:

Sauvignon Blanc Scorecard

Professional Like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc usually has vibrant acidity. It is medium-bodied, and the classic flavor descriptions range from tart apple to citrus (especially lime and grapefruit) to honeydew melon and peach. Overlaying the fruit is that signature grassy, herbaceous style.

Personal I constantly recommend Sauvignon Blanc because it offers great stylistic range, excellent availability and value for the money, and it’s delicious. Even the lowest-priced examples have character and retain the grape’s signature style, while the top-end examples, which are world class, almost never reach the stratospheric pricing of top Chardonnays. And, of course, we already noted how Sauvignon Blanc’s herbaceous character gives it great food affinity.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is truly the chameleon grape. As already pointed out, its success throughout the wine world, from cool to moderate to warm zones, is legendary. In this tasting, we will emphasize the most famous versions from each zone, for two reasons. First, they will be easy to find when you’re shopping. Second, these standard-bearers are the styles with which you should be familiar, because they are the paradigms, literally, to which the rest of the Chardonnay world aspires. They are also the styles that anchor the Chardonnay offerings on most restaurant wine lists.

Cool Zone Burgundy, France, is our reference point for cool-style Chardonnay. Almost all French white Burgundy is made from Chardonnay. The wine suggestions here come from Burgundy regions whose wines best represent the cool style: Mâcon, Pouilly-Fuissé, and Chablis. These regional wines traditionally are not oak aged, thus allowing the pure fruit style to come through.

Moderate Zone Coastal California is the paradigm here. The wine selections will emphasize the coastal zones that are best known for high-quality Chardonnay. Most of these wines have some oak-barrel contact during fermentation, or aging, or both. However, I have chosen balanced versions in which the fruit flavor is not overpowered by the oak.

Warm Zone Australia will show us the Chardonnay style in its most exotic, tropical version. (I have also included a few choices from California’s warm spots.) Oak is certainly a factor in this wine style, but again, I have chosen balanced wines that let the fruit shine through.

The wine choices here are divided into two price categories: $15 and under, and then $16 to $35. Whatever you choose to taste,