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WSET L2 > Ch11 Sauvignon Blanc > Flashcards

Ch11 Sauvignon Blanc Flashcards

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1
Q

Sauvignon Blanc Typical style

A
  • Clean + Crisp + Refreshing + Unoaked
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2
Q

Sauvignon Blanc Aromas and Flavours

A
  • Aromatic = Green fruit + Vegetable (gooseberry, elderflower, green pepper, asparagus)
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3
Q

Sauvignon Blanc Acidity, Body, Etc

A
  • High Acidity + Medium Body + Dry

- High acid makes it suitable for sweet wines (blended with Semillon in Sauternes)

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4
Q

Sauvignon Blanc Climate

A

COOL CLIMATE
- Needs a cool climate for herbaceous aromatic qualities

MODERATE CLIMATE
- Will tolerate moderate climate

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5
Q

Sauvignon Blanc Oak

A
  • Mostly unoaked

- Moderate climate may oak = Toast + Spice (vanilla, liquorice)

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6
Q

Sauvignon Blanc Ageing

A

Most don’t benefit from bottle age, even if it does last, it loses attractive freshness and becomes stale

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7
Q

Sauvignon Blanc France Regions

A

LOIRE CENTRAL VINEYARDS
- Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume facing across Loire river

BORDEAUX

  • Graves AC
  • Pessac-Leognan AC
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8
Q

Loire

A
  • Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume facing across Loire river
  • Cool Climate = Dry + High Acidity + Medium Body
  • Moderate or Pronounced aromas ofGooseberry + Grass + Blackcurrant Leaf + Nettle
  • Similar Steely character to Chablis
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9
Q

Bordeaux

A
  • Graves AC
  • Pessac-Leognan AC
  • Most premium white Bordeaux is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc (Semillon dominating)
  • Sauvignon alone = Fruity + Herbaceous + Grass + Elderflower + Not suitable for ageing
  • Adding Semillon = sustains fruit + adds body + allows complexity to develop in bottle
  • Adding SB = aromatic fruit + refreshing acidity
  • Dry + Medium Body + High Acidity + Sometimes oaked
  • Best white wines age well + develop honeyed toasty complex flavours in bottle
  • Cru Classe chateaux in Pessac-Leognan AC
  • Graves AC whites
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10
Q

Unblended Sauvignon Blanc properties

A

Sauvignon alone = Fruity + Herbaceous + Grass + Elderflower + Not suitable for ageing

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11
Q

Why blend Semillon

A

Adding Semillon = sustains fruit + adds body + allows complexity to develop in bottle

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12
Q

Why blend Sauvignon Blanc

A

Adding SB = aromatic fruit + refreshing acidity

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13
Q

Bordeaux White Style

A

Dry + Medium Body + High Acidity + Sometimes oaked

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14
Q

Bordeaux White Ageing

A

Best white wines age well + develop honeyed toasty complex flavours in bottle

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15
Q

Bordeaux Premium Sauvignon Blanc

A
  • Cru Classe chateaux in Pessac-Leognan AC

- Graves AC whites

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16
Q

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Area and Climate

A
  • Marlborough, South Island

- Cool climate

17
Q

New Zealand SB Style

A

Very expressive Sauvignon Blancs in a range of styles

18
Q

New Zealand Classic Style

A
  • Dry + High Acidity + Medium Body + Unoaked
    Intense, pungent, clean flavours
  • Passionfruit + Gooseberry + Green Pepper + Blackcurrant leaf
19
Q

New Zealand SB Ageing

A

Best consumed young and fresh

Some develop vegetal in bottle (pea, asparagus)

20
Q

Australia Sauvignon Blanc

A

Adelaide Hills

- Intensely fruit + clean

21
Q

USA Sauvignon Blanc

A
  • Napa Valley, California
    Most of California too warm for herbaceous characters
  • Fume Blanc
22
Q

What is Fume Blanc

A

Fume Blanc
- Unoaked, lightly oaked or heavily oaked

  • Some of herbaceous (grass, asparagus) shine through the spicy oak (toast, liquorice, vanilla)
23
Q

Fume Blanc vs Chardonnay from California

A

Oaked Fume Blanc is less full body + higher in acidity than oaked Chardonnays

24
Q

Chile Sauvignon Blanc Regions

A
  • Casablanca and San Antonio

- Cooler climates

25
Q

Chile Sauvignon Blanc Characteristics

A
  • Herbaceous, fruit led premium Sauvignon Blanc
  • Highly Aromatic + Refreshingly Fruity
  • Citrus + Green Apple + Grass
26
Q

South African Sauvignon Blanc Regions

A

Constantia (sea breezes)
Elgin (altitude, intense fresh SB)
Cooling effect causes late ripening = intense, fresh

27
Q

Describe two styles of Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa

A

Style 1 = Pungent + Fruit Driven like New Zealand but less body, intensity and complexity

Style 2 = Oak makes wine less pungent but can age in bottle gaining toasty complexity. More Bordeaux style + Intense + Herbaceous

28
Q

BULK Sauvignon Blanc

A

Outside premium Loire

  • Touraine AC
  • White Bordeaux AC (mainly Semillon SB blend, but some SB only)
  • Val de Loire
  • Pays d’OC IGP
  • Chile
  • California
  • South Africa
29
Q

Sauvignon Blanc in BLENDS

A
  • Semillon Sauvignon Blanc in dry white Bordeaux

- Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon in Australia, USA and Chile

30
Q

Effect of grape ripeness on style and flavour of SB from cool to hot climate

A
  • Herbaceous (grass)
  • Vegetable (green pepper, asparagus)
  • Floral (elderflower)
  • Citrus fruits (lemon, lime)
  • Green fruit (goosefruit)
  • stone fruit (peach)
  • tropical fruits (passion fruits)
31
Q

Premium sites for SB

A
  • Loire Central (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé)
  • Bordeaux (Pessac-Léognan, Graves)
  • Australia (Adelaide Hills)
  • New Zealand (Marlborough, more aromatic than Loire)
  • California (Napa Valley Fumé blanc)
  • Chile (Casablanca, San Antonio)
  • South Africa (Constantia, Elgin)

WSET L2 (22 decks)

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