White grape variety

Sauvignon Blanc

Also called Fumé Blanc, Blanc Fumé, Muskat-Silvaner

Sauvignon Blanc is a white grape from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux in France, known for crisp, aromatic wines with grassy, citrus and tropical notes. It shines in Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé and Marlborough, New Zealand. It is one of the two parents of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Color	White (green-skinned)
Origin	Loire Valley and Bordeaux, France
Body	Light to medium
Acidity	High
Typical aromas	gooseberry, grapefruit, lime, passion fruit, cut grass, green pepper, asparagus, flint
Key regions	Loire Valley (France), Bordeaux (France), Marlborough (New Zealand), Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy), Rueda (Spain), Casablanca Valley (Chile), Western Cape (South Africa), California (United States)

Origin and history

Sauvignon Blanc comes from western France, with roots in both the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Its name is usually linked to the French words for wild and white. The first written record is attributed to François Rabelais in 1534. In the 18th century in Bordeaux, a natural crossing of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc produced Cabernet Sauvignon, a parentage confirmed by DNA. Cuttings from Château d'Yquem reached California in the 1880s, and in 1968 Robert Mondavi coined the name Fumé Blanc for an oaked Californian version. The grape arrived in New Zealand in the 1970s and became that country's signature wine.

Where it grows

In the Centre-Loire it makes Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, the reference points for the variety. In Bordeaux it is blended with Sémillon for dry whites from Pessac-Léognan and Entre-Deux-Mers, and for sweet Sauternes such as Château d'Yquem. Marlborough in New Zealand made the pungent, tropical style famous. Other notable sources are Collio in Italy, Rueda in Spain, Casablanca Valley in Chile, Elgin in South Africa and Adelaide Hills in Australia.

Taste, wine styles and food

Sauvignon Blanc is a high-acid, aromatic white wine grape. Compounds called methoxypyrazines give its green notes of cut grass, green pepper and nettle, while thiols bring passion fruit and grapefruit. Cool climates emphasise the green and citrus side; very warm sites can make the wine flat and overripe. Most examples are unoaked and made for drinking young, though oak-aged Bordeaux blends and Fumé Blanc styles have more weight. Botrytised with Sémillon it becomes a component of sweet wine from Sauternes and Monbazillac. Classic pairings are goat cheese (a Loire tradition), green vegetables, salads, shellfish and herb-driven dishes.

Test yourself: the Sauvignon Blanc quiz

Wines made with Sauvignon Blanc (45)

WineGuessr lists 45 wines made with Sauvignon Blanc, from 9 countries. Most come from France (30).

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Sauvignon Blanc: questions and answers

Is Sancerre a Sauvignon Blanc?

White Sancerre is made from Sauvignon Blanc. Red and rosé Sancerre are made from Pinot Noir.

Is Fumé Blanc the same as Sauvignon Blanc?

Yes. Fumé Blanc is a name for Sauvignon Blanc coined by Robert Mondavi in California in 1968, often used for oak-aged versions.

Why does Sauvignon Blanc smell like grass?

The grassy and green pepper aromas come from methoxypyrazines, natural compounds in the grape that are more pronounced in cool climates.

Is Sauvignon Blanc related to Cabernet Sauvignon?

Yes. DNA analysis showed that Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc.

Other white grapes

All grape varieties →

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Last reviewed October 2026.