New Zealand is looking to bounce back after vintages where the world’s demand for our Sauvignon Blanc couldn’t be met due (mostly) to late spring frosts and low-yielding harvests. For once, exports have dipped in volume, and value. So, while lack of wine availability and supply chain issues are causing importers to search for Sauvignon Blanc producers outside of New Zealand, other countries are stepping in to fill the void.
Our Sauvignon Blanc is now arguably more well-known and liked internationally than the version from the Loire (in France). Whilst New Zealand undoubtedly produces a range of styles of our most famous varietal – there’s no denying that the one that the global consumer recognises and associates with NZ, is the slap-in-the-face thiol-laced aromatic beastie that has funded and fuelled our wine industry. But, wait..other countries can now also make Sauvignon Blanc that is a pretty good lookalike of our signature.
South Africa is one example. In the UK, huge retailer Majestic, has filled its shelves and bins with many South African wines to fill the gap. In the USA some retailers are upping their imports from South Africa by two-thirds compared to a year ago. A typical South African Sauvignon Blanc might sit somewhere between the Marlborough ‘classic’ style and a more restrained “old world” style. Not surprising then that many view South African wines as a little bit New World, little bit Old World. With a colossal range of soil types through their growing sub-regions, SA also has a good ‘sense of place’ story to tell – something that Marlborough is only now latching onto.
Sauvignon Blanc is the second most-planted varietal in Chile, and, again, tends towards the middle ground – with wines that sit somewhere between NZ and the Loire in style. And in terms of production, they also grow an amount that sits firmly in between volumes of those two regions as well. Chilean wine can largely be classified into three areas – Coastal, Inland and Southern. Wines from the ‘Coastal’ are the ones we should watch – Limaria and Casablanca in particular – with a crisp salinity that seems to be appealing to drinkers in the USA. Don’t forget that it is hard to beat Chile on a price-to-quality ratio on all varietals.
Aside from other versions of Sauvignon Blanc, we should also consider a future where New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc simply isn’t ‘in vogue’ any more. Just as Chardonnay fell out of favour (and you could argue that Riesling already did, years ago) – so could Savvy. There’s a growing range of ‘alternative’ whites that have grown in favour. Gruner Veltliner, Albarino and Fiano are all dabbled with here, but taken much more seriously in Europe – and in Australia.
For now, the Sauvignon juggernaut continues for New Zealand, but we shouldn’t be complacent. WineFolio will be doing the first Top 10 Tasting of 2023 soon – and our subject will be Sauvignon Blanc. As someone who takes this varietal very seriously, this is one I’ve been looking forward to. Interesting then that at least two of what I would regard as ‘big names’ in Marlborough have declined to send over a sample of their wine for this upcoming judging. It could be a case of ‘Me, not You’ – that they just don’t rate what we’re trying to do at WineFolio; or perhaps just a case of resting on their laurels. I hope it’s neither.
