Explore French Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley and Beyond #winophiles

How many Sauvignon Blancs have you tried from different countries? Is France one of the them?

Sauvignon Blanc is such a ubiquitous grape varietal, grown in so many wine regions around the world. If there is a country that grows wine, sauvignon blanc is one of them.

However, have you tried a Sauvignon Blanc from France?

The grape is indigenous to the country, and you'll find single varietals of the wine in the upper Loire Valley. It may not be labeled "Sauvignon Blanc" but rather feature the appellation it is from such as Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Reuilly, Menetou-Salon, Quincyand Touraine Blanc.

Beyond the Loire Valley, the second largest spiritual home for Sauvignon Blanc is Bordeaux, where the grape is most often blended with semillon and other more obscure grapes, such as muscadelle.

Why does Sauvignon Blanc work so well in the Loire Valley? For one, the climate is cooler and way too cold for Chenin Blanc, the other revered French white grape. Too much heat can stun the complexity for a maturing Sauvignon Blanc grape.

In addition, Loire Valley soils feature limestone, chalk, and clay lending that coveted trademark French minerality.

Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc tends to be earthier and crisper, while in the Bordeaux it tends be fruitier and fuller.

In Pouilly-Fume, you will also find the added note of smokey, flinty notes from the limestone soils laced with chert rock.

Typically aged in stainless steel tanks, Sauvignon Blanc can also be aged in oak barrels and for a very long time.

What probably adds to the elusiveness of French Sauvignon Blanc is the price. While you can easily find a Sauvignon Blanc around the world for less than $15, good luck in the Loire Valley.

So, are these French Sauvignon Blancs worth the price? Are these summer picnic wines or special occasion sippers? And perhaps, of utmost importance, what food would you pair with a French sauv?

The French Winophiles will explore all this in more in our riveting Twitter Chat on July 16, 2022 at 8am PST.  Here is a preview of what everyone has in their glass so far:

• Camilla is making cool "Vietnamese Summer Rolls with a Sauvignon Blanc from the Pays de la Loire" at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Wendy is whipping up a "Shrimp Bisque and a Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux" at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Robin is pouring a special "Sauvignon Blanc from the small hamlet of Chavignol in Sancerre" at Crushed Grape Chronicles
• Jane is touring and "Tasting Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc: Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé" at Always Ravenous
• Jeff is is preparing a special "Surprise! Sauvignon Blanc from Bourgogne" at Food Wine Click!
• Gwendolyn is having a feast of "Sauvignon Blanc from here and there for Summer Pairs" at Wine Predator
• Katrina is sharing a glass of “Let’s Give Some Love to French Sauvignon Blanc… From Bordeaux” at The Corkscrew Concierge
• Deanna is frying "Sole Meuniere Paired with Sancerre" at Wineivore

So grab a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from France, and taste with us!

• Between Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16, 8am PT/11am ET, publish your post. Include #winophiles in the title and add the provided preliminary HTML to link to other participants’ posts.
• On Saturday, July 16, join the Twitter chat at 8am PT/ 11am ET by following and using the #winophiles hashtag.
• Read, comment, and share each other’s posts on French Sauvignon Blancs.
• Add the final HTML to your post that includes to links to everyone’s published posts.

Here are the Twitter questions we will discuss on Saturday:

11:00 a.m. EST  

Welcome to the #winophiles chat on the Sauvignon Blancs of France! Introduce yourself and where you are tweeting from. Share a link to your blog if applicable.

11:07 a.m. EST

Q1 How much Sauvignon Blanc do you drink?  What are your thoughts on this grape?  Is it your go to wine, bargain wine, summer sipper, or something else? #winophiles

11:14 a.m. EST 

Q2   What French Sauvignon Blanc did you choose to write about today?  What region in France was it from?  Share a link to your post, so we can read about it! #winophiles 

11:21 a.m. EST 

Q3 Please share a fun fact, something interesting, or something new that you learned about the Sauvignon Blanc from France you chose. #winophiles 

11:28 a.m. EST 

Q4 Did you serve food with your Sauvignon Blanc?  Show us some photos!  How did the pairing turn out?  What food would you try with the wine next time?  #winophiles

11:35 a.m. EST 

Q5 Let’s compare and contrast. How does the French wine you tried compare to other Sauvignon Blancs you’ve tried from other parts of the world?  #winophiles

11:42 a.m. EST 

Q6 Let’s talk about price.  Depending on the region and age, French Sauvignon Blanc has a wide price range.  Was your wine good value for the price you paid?  Would you recommend it to a friend?  #winophiles

11:49 a.m. EST 

Q7  Share your parting thoughts on French Sauvignon Blancs. What region in France do you want to try a Sauvignon Blanc from next?