Sauvignon Blanc may be less flashy than its trendy cousin Chardonnay, but there's much to commend about it. Those who know the grape's noble roots in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley have always loved it for its aromatic, food-friendly qualities. This grape's seductive range of flavors and affordable pricing have also long made it a favorite with sommeliers.

Corton's all-French wine list features several Sauvignon Blanc-based wines.

New World Sauvignon Blancs are being produced in a variety of styles in California, Oregon and Washington, as well as in New York, Texas and Canada. Many New World producers in countries like Chile and South Africa have also joined the Sauvignon Blanc-producing fray and have been making refreshing and well priced versions of the wine for decades.

Competition from these competitively priced imports has also helped to keep Sauvignon Blanc's already accessible pricing reasonable. The fact that the typical Sauvignon Blanc-drinking consumer is also less status-driven help to insure fair mark-ups. The huge varieties of wine styles both retain consumer interest and make new Sauvignon Blanc converts.

The amount of Sauvignon Blanc found in all three western states is steadily increasing as the grape becomes more popular. In California, total Sauvignon Blanc crushed increased to 92,236 tons in 2008 from 61,548 in 1998, according to the Sacramento-based California Department of Food and Agriculture. In Washington state, Sauvignon Blanc is the third most-planted white grape, with acreage planted increasing to 993 acres in 2006 from 600 in 1999, according to the Seattle-based Washington Wine Commission. In Oregon, acreage planted of Sauvignon Blanc increased to 79 acres in 2008 from 69 acres in 1998, with some fluctuations in between, according to the Portland-based Oregon National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Elizabeth Harcourt of Corton says that Sancere is a big seller.

Back to Basics

Much of the Sauvignon Blanc produced both in the U.S. and abroad is intentionally made in a less manipulated, more fruit-forward style. As a rule, aromatic wines like Sauvignon Blanc are also rarely oak-aged as it doesn't benefit their flavor profile. As a result, many Sauvignon Blanc-based wines are likely to have a more defined regional style and flavor.

"Sauvignon Blancs are sought after by people who love wines that are expressive of their terroir--mineral-driven, chalky, citrus notes, racy, smoky, delicious and food-friendly wines that continue to evolve the longer that the bottle has been open," said Elizabeth Harcourt, sommelier at Corton in New York, a modern French restaurant that is part of the eight restaurant and one retail operation New York-based The Myriad Restaurant Group.

Corton carries four French Sauvignon Blancs, priced from $35 to $145 a bottle, on its all-French wine list. Harcourt added that Sauvignon is capable of creating "wines with complexity that are regionally representative and delicious."

Given the wine's strong regional style, its fans are more likely to know and understand its noble French roots. Most of the sommeliers interviewed for this story believed their customers were more likely to know this wine's origin than those who might choose to order other wines.

A Focus on Region

Since so much of Sauvignon Blanc consumption is driven by the branding power of Loire Valley growing areas like Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, it's no surprise that those areas drive sales. "Sancerre is a big seller" at Corton, confirmed Harcourt. She added that Sancerre is "a recognizable name, somewhat of a go-to wine."

The unique mineral-driven taste profile of Sancerre remains a strong seller and regional brand on wine lists across the country. Jennifer Eby, wine manager at Sinatra, an Italian restaurant at the 2,034-room Wynn Encore hotel in Las Vegas, equated Sauvignon Blanc to "a little black dress: ….always classic." Sinatra carries 20 Sauvignon Blancs, priced from $31 to more than $1,350 for bottles and half bottles.

The grape's refreshing flavor profile also makes it an ideal choice to drink in hot weather and hence a favorite in restaurants in warmer parts of the country, she noted. Eby, who worked in Arizona before moving to Las Vegas, added that in desert markets, "Sauvignon Blanc is a great choice based on the weather: crisp, cool, thirst-quenching and refreshing." She noted that it is also "a fantastic choice to pair with the lighter styles of food that we are all drawn to in hot weather or as an apéritif or to enjoy on the patio in the late afternoon!"

Chris Blanchard says there is no one defining style of domestic Sauvignon Blanc.

As popular as French Sauvignon Blancs are on restaurant lists, Kiwi versions with racy acidity and intense fruit flavors are also giving them a run for their money. "New Zealand and Sancerre are both favorite regions with our guests," said Eby.

The Cost Factor

The presence of a handful of large producers in New Zealand combined with the more affordable production structure in countries such as Chile and South Africa can make pricing on imported Sauvignon Blanc hard to compete with for domestic producers.

Sauvignon Blancs offer "a great value for an enjoyable wine," noted Chris Blanchard, a master sommelier and wine director of The Restaurant, which serves California food with French influences at the 114-room Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles. He carries approximately a dozen Sauvignon Blancs, priced from $25 to $49 a bottle.

He is not alone in appreciating the softer mark-ups traditionally levied on this grape. "Unfortunately for the producers, this grape fetches a lower price in the marketplace than Chardonnay, mostly due to demand," said Sinatra's Eby. "I think it tends to be priced at what the market will bear, since it is in competition with New Zealand, which can easily be found at lower price points."

Gabriel Varela of Meat Market is seeing great complexity in Sauvignon Blanc. Photo credit: Andrew Meade

Gabriel Varela, sommelier and manager for the Miami-based steak house Meat Market, agreed, noting, "People looking at Sauvignon Blanc are usually looking for a bit of a bargain." He carries 15 Sauvignon Blancs, priced from $40 to $275 a bottle.

Domestic Competition

Since both domestic and imported Sauvignon Blancs tend to have such different flavor profiles than Chardonnay, the grape tends to compete with other types of wines. It is more likely to struggle for market share with other aromatic white wines, like Riesling and the white Rhône varietals like Marsanne and Roussanne. Sinatra's Ebys seconded the cultural division between the Chardonnay and the Sauvignon Blanc drinker, noting that the two sets of consumers don't even overlap at her restaurant.

Sauvignon Blanc, as a category, is also typically less brand- and status-driven than Chardonnay. Many sommeliers and restaurateurs say that the Chardonnay consumer is much more focused on the status and styles of specific producers while the Sauvignon aficionado is drawn to the bounty of regional and terroir-reflective styles the grape can produce.

The fact that no one distinct or dominant style of California wine has emerged has also continued to drive consumer interest in both international and domestic regional interpretations of Sauvignon Blanc, even within the state. "The question really is: what is the style of California Sauvignon Blanc?" asked Blanchard. He added that Russian River and Mendocino were both popular regions for the varietal when his customers chose a domestic Sauvignon Blanc.

Long a pet grape of wine professionals, it seems that Sauvignon Blanc is finally carving out its own territory on wine lists and dedicated drinkers. Fresh, terroir-driven styles and multiple interpretations make it an appealing wine for all types of restaurants. Price accessibility and food- friendliness also remain two of its strongest points. What's more, the bevy of international styles is sure to keep consumers intrigued as they continue to explore different interpretations of this grape from U.S. shores and abroad. wbm