Sauvignon Blanc is among the few international grapes to belong to the family of aromatic varieties. Sauvignon Blanc is also a white grape which is loved or hated, because of its particular aromas, which are frequently so strong and dominant and therefore not all may like them. Indeed, the aromatic profile of Sauvignon Blanc is strongly influenced by climate, land and - in particular - ripeness, factors that, of course, influence the organoleptic quality of every grape. However, these factors in Sauvignon Blanc, in particular ripeness, determine a big difference in the development of “green” and pungent aromas - which are generally obtained with less ripe grapes and cultivated in cool climate areas - and in flowers and fruit aromas, result of riper grapes or cultivated in warm climate areas.

 As opposed to the majority of grapes, in which vinification techniques in steel tanks or in barrel are equally used, Sauvignon Blanc is rarely fermented or matured in cask, even less in barrique. In case wood is used, its contribution is usually discreet without excessively covering the aromatic nature of the grape, although this enological practice gives Sauvignon Blanc wines with a good body and longevity. Thanks to its specific aromatic quality, Sauvignon Blanc is the main protagonist of many wines, in which it is used together to other grapes, both to give more acidity as well as to enrich the aromatic profile. In the wines in which it is present, the “touch” of Sauvignon Blanc is almost impossible to be missed: its strong aromas of fruits, even tropical ones, always add a distinctive and elegant note.

	The Sauvignon Blanc wines of our comparative tasting

 The goal of this month's comparative tasting is the study of the organoleptic qualities of Sauvignon Blanc, according to the wine making techniques used for its production. The wines selected for the comparative tasting are all produced in the eastern part of northern Italy - Friuli Venezia Giulia and Alto Adige - regions which offer cool climate conditions useful for the cultivation of Sauvignon Blanc. Another reason which determined our choice is represented by the aromatic qualities of the wines, in which it will be possible to appreciate the “green” aromas of Sauvignon Blanc as well as the aromatic qualities of fruits and flowers. The wine making technique of the three wines will help us to better understand this grape as well. The three wines have been produced with three different wine making techniques: one is entirely produced in steel tanks, one is entirely aged in cask, while only a part of the third wine ages in cask.

 The first wine of our comparative tasting is Collio Sauvignon De La Tour of Villa Russiz. This excellent wine is the only one of the three completely aged in steel tanks, in this specific case for 10 months. The second selected wine is produced in Friuli Venezia Giulia as well, although in a different area: Friuli Isonzo Sauvignon Picol from Lis Neris. A part of this wine ages in cask, a characteristic which will give the wine a fuller body. The third wine is Cantina Terlano's Alto Adige Terlano Sauvignon Quarz; this is the only wine completely aged in cask, in this case for 8 months. In order to better appreciate the organoleptic qualities of our three Sauvignon Blanc, the wines will be served at a temperature of 10° C (50° F). The vintages of the wines to be used for the tasting will belong the latest harvesting: Sauvignon Blanc is a wine to be consumed young in order to enjoy its best qualities. The tasting will be done by using three ISO glasses.

 The wines produced with Sauvignon Blanc do not show intense colors. The reason is not to be uniquely found in the quality of the grape, but also in the way Sauvignon Blanc is vinified. The most common used technique, as already mentioned, provides the use of inert tanks - such as steel and cement - rarely the cask or barrique. The color of the wines produced with Sauvignon Blanc basically show hues from greenish-yellow to straw-yellow. The color tends to get darker in case the cask is being used: in this case it can observed even gold yellow hues. As the wines produced with Sauvignon Blanc should preferably be consumed young, in order to better appreciate the crisp and aromatic character of fruits and flowers, it is not very useful talking about the development of its color in function of time.

 The first wine of which we will evaluate color is Collio Sauvignon De La Tour of Villa Russiz, the only one of the three to be completely vinified in steel tanks. By observing the wine at the base of the glass, it will be noticed an intense greenish-yellow color and greenish-yellow nuances, very transparent. The second wine we will evaluate is Friuli Isonzo Sauvignon Picol of Lis Neris: it can be observed a brilliant greenish-yellow and greenish-yellow nuances, even in this case, very transparent. The aging of part of the wine in cask does not seem to have influenced the color. The last wine of which we will evaluate the color is Cantina Terlano's Alto Adige Terlano Sauvignon Quarz, the only one of the three to be completely aged in cask. In this wine, although showing a greenish-yellow color, it will be observed the hue is slightly more intense than the previous ones, while the nuance does not differ from the other wines.

 One of the most interesting and intriguing aspects of Sauvignon Blanc is represented by its aromas. Sauvignon Blanc is considered a semi-aromatic grape, that is a grape having aromas directly recalling the grape. Whereas in aromatic grapes, the intensity of this aroma is pretty strong, in Sauvignon Blanc is less evident, although present. The main aromatic quality of Sauvignon Blanc is not the one of grape, indeed the others aromas which made this grape famous. In particular, Sauvignon Blanc is famous for its “green” and unripe aromas of bell pepper, and even more for an aroma which is not considered agreeable, that is cat's pee, associable to box flower. These special aromas are typical of Sauvignon Blanc cultivated in areas with cool climate or vinified when it has not reached full ripeness, otherwise, the aromas of this grape are an explosion of flowers and fruits, including tropical ones.

 We will start the aromatic evaluation of our wines, starting from the only one matured in steel vats: Collio Sauvignon De La Tour di Villa Russiz. Maintaining the glass still and in a vertical position, we evaluate the opening aromas, which in this wine will be of peach, elderberry and pineapple. The peach is a typical aroma of Sauvignon Blanc, probably the fruit which we find again more frequently in this grape. We can affirm the same for elderberry flower, other aromatic element distinguishing Sauvignon Blanc. After having swirled the glass, the aromatic sequence will be completed by acacia, litchi, apple, broom, grapefruit, the typical pepper and - at the end a pleasant signs of sage. Although the aromatic impact of this wine is pleasantly oriented to fruity notes, the presence of vegetal aromas - such as pepper and sage - are almost evident and rend more pleasant the aromatic profile of the wine.

 The second wine of which we will evaluate aromas is Friuli Isonzo Sauvignon Picol of Lis Neris. The opening aromas reveal herbaceous and vegetal hints of box flower, green bell pepper and tomato leaf, three typical aromas of Sauvignon Blanc cultivated in cool climate areas. After having swirled the glass, it will possible to perceive aromas of elder, sage, peer, peach, pineapple, lemon and pleasant hints of mineral aromas. The last wine to be evaluated is Cantine Terlano's Alto Adige Terlano Sauvignon Quarz, the only one of the three to be aged in cask. The opening aromas will be characterized by hints of passion fruit and peach. By continuing the olfactory evaluation - after having swirled the glass - we will perceive aromas of litchi, broom, mineral, elder, nettle, pineapple, bell pepper, sage and hints of vanilla which does not disturb the personality of the wine. It should be noticed how in this wine the typical vegetal aromas of Sauvignon Blanc are present, such as bell pepper, sage and elder flower.

 The wines produced with Sauvignon Blanc are characterized to the taste with two main qualities: acidity and body. Wines produced with this grape generally have a pretty strong and evident acidity, a quality which is useful their in wines produced with round and ripe grapes, positively contributing to the balance. The body of Sauvignon Blanc wines is generally weak; this does not mean this grape make light and weak wines, it just means the wines are not robust, such as the ones produced with Chardonnay grapes. These two characteristics are however determined by the use of tanks for the aging of wines. In case in which a cask or a barrique is being used, the acidity tends to get smoother, while the body will be fuller; in both cases because of wood's tannins passed to the wine.

 We will begin the gustatory evaluation from Collio Sauvignon De La Tour of Villa Russiz. The attack of this wine will be pretty crisp: the acidity will be pretty evident, although well balanced by alcohol. The correspondence to the nose is excellent, it will be possible to clearly recognize the flavors of peach, pineapple and peer. The second wine we will evaluate is Friuli Isonzo Sauvignon Picol of Lis Neris. The attack of this Sauvignon Blanc is characterized by its crisp acidity, also in this case with a very good balance given by alcohol. As opposed to the previous wine, we can notice how the body is slightly fuller: by holding the wine in the mouth and sliding the tongue against the palate, we will notice a lesser friction. The last wine we will evaluate is Cantine Terlano's Alto Adige Terlano Sauvignon Quarz, completely aged in cask. Despite the wine making technique used for its production, the attack is also in this case characterized by a pleasant crispness, with a good balance given by alcohol, we will notice a higher smoothness and a fuller body, which however does not negatively influence on Sauvignon Blanc's nature.

 The three wines of our comparative tasting are three excellent examples of wines produced with Sauvignon Blanc grape. Even the use of cask - in the wines produced with this technique - have a good balance without negatively influencing the personality of Sauvignon Blanc. The finish of the three wines will be characterized - besides an excellent taste-olfactory persistence - for the clear flavor of peach, to which are followed flavors of peer and tropical fruits, such as pineapple, litchi and passion fruit. The magic of Sauvignon Blanc is also to leave in the mouth fresh and intense aromas of fruit and - frequently - to the nose can be perceived vegetal aromas such as green bell pepper and box flower, a quality which, however, is typical in wines produced with unripe grapes or cultivated in cool climate areas only. In all the other cases, Sauvignon Blanc is the triumph of flowers and fruit, where - at least this time - the cask and wood play a marginal role, or more frequently, are completely absent from the scene.