Sauvignon: the wine, food pairings and great names to try

Loved all over the world for its aromatic, vibrant and fresh character, Sauvignon is today one of the most widespread wines not only in Europe, but also in South America, Australia and New Zealand.

The grape is versatile, prized because it can produce wines of different styles and quality depending on the methods used and the areas where it is grown.

In Italy several wineries produce highly respectable Sauvignon; they come in particular from Friuli and Alto Adige and express the great potential of these areas. Let us look at these Sauvignons, the most authoritative names and those most in demand among our online customers; but first, a brief overview of the wine, its curiosities, origins and qualities:

• Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc?
• Sauvignon wine: characteristics and food pairings
• Sauvignon from Friuli and the Collio
• Sauvignon from Alto Adige
• Sauvignon wines and the wineries:
  • Sauvignon Jermann
  • Sauvignon Livio Felluga
  • Sauvignon Sanct Valentin
  • Sauvignon Elena Walch
  • From Casata Mergé, Sesto 21, the best-selling Sauvignon

Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc?

The difference between Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc is simply a matter of preference. It is the same grape, with no ampelographic differences. Sauvignon is just a shortened form, that is all.

Grown for centuries in France, it takes its name from the French word sauvage, meaning wild, a reference to the sturdy, hardy nature of the vine and to its leaves, which resemble those of wild vines. More precisely, Sauvignon comes from the Loire; from there it was brought to Friuli Venezia Giulia under Habsburg rule. That was the period when the international varieties still grown in Friuli today spread most widely.

Sauvignon wine: characteristics and food pairings

In Italy, Sauvignon wines stand out for their great variety of styles and aromas. The aroma is intense and the impact on nose and palate very strong; naturally, these characteristics are more or less pronounced depending on where the wine is made, the climate and the winemaking method.

The flexibility of these grapes and their ability to express the place where they are grown are probably the qualities that, more than any others, have driven the great growth and spread of Sauvignon Blanc around the world.

Broadly speaking, Sauvignon can be described as a fresh, fruity wine, straw yellow in colour with greenish highlights. Supple, velvety and harmonious in the mouth, it also shows excellent persistence.

With Sauvignon, the food pairings are many. It is excellent with fish starters and main courses, white meat, soups, risottos and vegetables, and the fuller-bodied ones are also ideal with cheese. Sauvignon is excellent as an aperitif too.

Sauvignon from Friuli and the Collio

Known for producing high-quality white wines, Friuli Venezia Giulia is the region that first welcomed Sauvignon grapes. Sauvignon from Friuli is one of the finest expressions of this area’s winemaking excellence.

And when we talk about Friuli, we are referring to one area in particular: the Collio. This part of the province of Gorizia, between the Alps and the Adriatic, right on the border with Slovenia, is considered a fine-wine area in Italy, so much so that it obtained its DOC back in the late 1960s.

Here Sauvignon immediately adapted to the land, embodied all its characteristics and gave rise to a wine of great character. Geography is on the grape’s side, ideal for growing it, with a favourable climate and soils rich in minerals, mostly of marine origin; together, the many features of the Collio terroir encourage slow, even ripening of the grapes.

In the Collio, Sauvignon from Friuli finds a singular and unmistakable expression.

Sauvignon from Alto Adige

In Alto Adige too, on limestone soils at around 600 m above sea level, Sauvignon has found an excellent home. Here the full name, Sauvignon Blanc, is preferred.

Alto Adige stands out for its splendid mountain landscape, rich in microclimates and different soils, and it is precisely this great variety that makes its wines differ depending on the specific area they come from. So Sauvignon from Alto Adige can be more intense and spicy or more floral and fruity.

In general, Sauvignon from Alto Adige is a wine that is pleasant to drink young.

Sauvignon wines and the wineries

Most wineries in both Friuli and Alto Adige have followed the evolution of this grape and invested in its potential, producing different Sauvignons, all of them with great style. We have a wide range to choose from, in which the typical traits of each area stand out. And it is surprising that one of the most sought-after and appreciated Sauvignons in our wine shop comes from a completely different place, far from Friuli and Alto Adige.

Below is a selection of our Sauvignons.

Sauvignon Jermann

Jermann is among the leading names in Friuli, and in 2016 it was even acclaimed as the most representative producer of white wines in the world.
Many factors shape Jermann’s production, including its focus on organic farming aimed at ever higher quality, respect for nature and a strong, genuine imprint in its wines.

Sauvignon Livio Felluga

Another name, another Italian excellence: Livio Felluga is synonymous with the history of Friulian wine, a history that began after the war and over the years has carried the producer and its wines to great heights, and not only in Italy. Among its most admirable achievements is having invested in and believed in the Friulian hills and their wine production at a time when the trend was to seek a better life in the big cities. The Felluga family stayed there, in the Collio, aware of the great potential of the area, which is now recognised internationally.

Sauvignon Sanct Valentin

Sanct Valentin is the Sauvignon from San Michele Appiano, a winery in the heart of Alto Adige that has practised the art of wine for more than a century. The vineyards are tended with extreme care, and the same attention goes into every detail of the production process, which leads to clear and entirely unique results. San Michele Appiano makes three ranges of wines, each an emblem of the strong identity of the area. The Sauvignon belongs to Sanct Valentin, the winery’s flagship collection, made up of the wines produced from the finest grapes.

Sauvignon Elena Walch

Also from Alto Adige comes another outstanding example of winemaking excellence, Elena Walch, a symbol of quality born of work in the vineyard. This family-run winery is known above all for its long and consistent commitment to environmental sustainability, aimed at raising the excellence of its raw materials through a way of working the soil that is entirely respectful, a precious legacy for future generations. Elena Walch wines are little gems.

From Casata Mergé, Sesto 21, the best-selling Sauvignon

A well-structured Sauvignon of excellent quality comes from a region far from the area explored so far: the Sauvignon from Casata Mergé, produced in Lazio. Between Frascati and Monte Porzio Catone, in a typically Mediterranean climate, the winery grows several grape varieties to an excellent standard, respecting the culture and historic character of the area, with results that are much appreciated by connoisseurs.

 

 

These are the most exclusive Sauvignon Blancs on the Italian scene and the ones our customers love most; the whole range, including larger bottle sizes, is available in our white wines category.