Sauvignon in Argentina
A global classic, briefly
Sauvignon Blanc hails from France — Bordeaux and the Loire Valley — and conquered the world from there, most famously by way of New Zealand's punchy, tropical style. Its signature is unmistakable: high acidity and aromatics that run from citrus and green apple to grass, herbs and green pepper, sometimes tropical passionfruit. It is rarely oaked, usually made to be drunk young and fresh, and it is one of the most food-friendly whites there is. (Incidentally, it is also one half of Cabernet Sauvignon's parentage — crossed with Cabernet Franc — a nice thread back through these guides.)
A small but rising white
Sauvignon Blanc is not a major grape by Argentine acreage — like most of the country's whites it lives in the long shadow of red. But it has carved out a clear and growing niche as one of the key white varieties of the high Uco Valley, planted right alongside the more famous Chardonnay. As Argentina's white-wine revolution gathers pace, Sauvignon Blanc is one of its quiet beneficiaries.
