When you’re trying to pick a wine, it’s intuitive to stick with varietals and regions that have an excellent reputation, like a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or Sancerre. But an excellent reputation often means higher prices, especially for wines from the most famous regions and producers. To avoid these high prices, it pays to go for wines that are underrated. But how do you find them?
In order to expand your palates and inspire more adventurous drinking, we reached out to 14 sommeliers to hear what bottles, regions, and producers they think are underrated when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc. Their answers included small producers in northern Greece, examples from regions like Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and under-the-radar bottles from Turkey. So whether you’re a dedicated drinker or Sauvignon Blanc or simply want to try something new, we’ve got a recommendation for you.
“Alpha Estate is a producer in northern Greece that has the perfect cool-climate terroir to produce zippy but powerful Sauvignon Blanc that pairs beautifully with everything from mezzes to seafood, but also has so many compelling qualities that you can enjoy a glass solo as well.” —Thomas Kakalios, lead sommelier, Eat Well Hospitality (Asador Bastian, Mano a Mano, Andros Taverna), Chicago
“People overlook Italian examples grown at high altitude. Trentino-Alto Adige produces a chiseled, mineral-driven style that I just love.” —Janine Poleman, Sommelier, Cru Uncorked, Moreland Hills, Ohio
“I feel that Turkish wines have long been underrated around the world. Khilon Sauvignon Blanc from 7 Bilgeler Winery is one of the most beautiful wines I have tasted in a while. Tasting notes include citrus on the nose with fresh grapes and almonds on the palate, and it’s medium-bodied with fresh acidity. The wine goes well with cheese, raw fish, seafood, sushi, and spicy dishes.” —Shavinraj “Sha” Gopinath, beverage manager, Casa Sol at Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort, Bodrum, Turkey
“Sauvignon Blancs from France not called Sancerre. The birthplace of Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux, would be a good start. Traditionally blended with Sémillon, Sauvignon Blancs from here can be fresh and bright or textured and complex, and styles span from approachable and affordable to iconic and age-worthy. They’re also used to make Sauternes; I rest my case.” —John C. Slatter, divisional sommelier, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, Chicago
“My choice would be the Edi Kante Carso Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a very fine bottle from northern Italy, a region known to produce much of the country’s best wines, with lots of minerality. It’s both crisp and dry, a wine to be savored.” —Giovanni Tallu, head sommelier, Beaverbrook, Surrey, England
“Austrian Sauvignon Blanc without a doubt. It’s a wonderful expression of the varietal, but is overshadowed by Austria’s production of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Most of it comes from the southern areas of Austria’s growing regions and has deep complexity and aging potential.” —Nate Black, wine director and assistant general manager, Stake Chophouse & Bar, Coronado, Calif.
“From the south South African coast, winemaker Wade Sander of Brunia is making an extended barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc that is a special treat I find extremely difficult for me to put down. The nose is so good and a little oxidative, influenced by a season [Sander] spent in Jura. He leaves this wine in barrels for three years, eight miles from the ocean. The 2019 is full of orange zest and minerals, with peppers on the end. Delish.” —Jeremy Allen, owner and sommelier, Wine and Eggs, Los Angeles
“Austrian Sauvignon Blancs from the region of Südsteiermark are some of my absolute favorites. They have the same vibrant herbaceousness coupled with unique fruit flavors like gooseberry and black currant that I’d classically associate with Sancerre, but wines from that region have also become more expensive and more inconsistent.” —Chris Ray, sommelier, Lutèce, Washington, D.C.
“A tiny region adjacent to Chablis where Sauvignon Blanc and Gris are permitted, St. Bris is a ‘secret’ I discovered a few years ago. Since then, I’ve felt obligated to buy any bottle I encounter that I haven’t tried. The wines typically cost about $20 to $25 and provide so much joy for that price. They are briny and bright as one should expect from vines grown on old seabeds, with softer expressions of the aromatics one might expect from Loire Valley iterations.” —William Pye, sommelier, Prospect, San Francisco
“The most underrated Sauvignon Blanc is from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. While regions like Marlborough and Sancerre often dominate the Sauvignon Blanc conversation, Friulian wines offer a unique and often overlooked perspective on the grape. These wines often exhibit a more herbaceous, mineral-driven character with hints of citrus and tropical fruits.” —Matthew Jacobson, sommelier, Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver, British Columbia
“As a sommelier, I’m often reluctant to share those hidden gems because once they’re discovered, prices rise and availability dwindles. However, Domaine Trotereau Quincy Vieilles Vignes is one of the most underrated Sauvignon Blancs out there. Its unique terroir of sandy soils and pink limestone creates a rich texture with vibrant stone fruit notes, all while maintaining the lively freshness we love in Sauvignon Blanc. This wine ages beautifully and definitely deserves more attention.” —Mark Thompson, wine director, Gravitas, Washington, D.C.
“One of the most compelling expressions of Sauvignon Blanc I’ve had in recent memory is Shangra-li Mendo Savvy B from Florèz Wines. James Jelks is a killer winemaker, and I’m continually surprised and excited by his work. His wines have an incomparable energy and are made with incredible integrity.” —Lia Heinze, sommelier, Wildweed, Cincinnati, Ohio
“Although Italy doesn’t immediately spring to mind as a Sauvignon Blanc country, there are some great examples in a variety of styles. Look for Gaja’s Alteni di Brassica from Piedmont and fruity to serious examples from the Tuscan coast as great reasons to take a second look at Italy for underappreciated Sauvignon Blanc.” —Drea Boulanger, executive wine director, Spiegelworld, Las Vegas
“I feel like the Amisfield Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago, New Zealand, is very underrated and delivers very well for the price. The winery has been around since 1988 with a drive to be sustainable and organic. Their Sauvignon Blanc is a keystone of their portfolio and so it’s never an afterthought. They carefully hand-harvest the grapes and ferment them in stainless steel, but a small portion sees oak to create a wonderfully textured and balanced Sauvignon Blanc. Nonetheless, the nose delivers benchmark guava, lime, and kiwi with melon tones on the palate.” —Alexander Wettersten, director of beverage, Cavallo Point, Sausalito, Calif.
*Image retrieved from DenisMArt via stock.adobe.com
The article We Asked 14 Sommeliers: What’s the Most Underrated Sauvignon Blanc? (2024) appeared first on VinePair.
