Sauvignon Blanc, Apulia

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most loved and widespread white grape varieties in the world. It is a variety native to the Loire Valley region which gradually spread to Bordeaux as well. DNA analyzes have revealed its kinship with Savagnin, one of the oldest grapes in central Europe which could be one of the parents of Sauvignon Blanc. As a semi-aromatic variety, it is now grown in many countries around the world, most notably in New Zealand, California, Australia, Chile and South Africa. In Italy, it is mainly present in Friuli Venezia Giulia and Alto Adige. Naturally, pedoclamic conditions that vary from place to place allow Sauvignon Blanc to express its personality in a very different way. An emblematic case of the Loire are the very cold temperatures and high humidity which, in addition to the presence of waterways, allow Sauvignon Blanc to develop the typical acidity in wines from Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire, also famous for its wine. Pouilly-Fumé : these are sharp wines with typical hints of gooseberry, musk, wild herbs and flint that give the palate an aromatic texture that is not easy to taste but much appreciated by connoisseurs. Reaching the Bordeaux area, with the Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes, the famous botrytised wines are obtained, that is, resulting from the appearance of noble rot on the berries which gives unique flavors by combining a high acidity with a considerable amount of sugar developed as a result of the dehydration of the cluster: Sauvignon Blanc is also in this case responsible for conferring very delicate and elegant aromas. The yield of Sauvignon in Italy is also very particular, which in the areas of Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli has found ideal environments to grow and give the best of itself. The structure of the Sauvignon from California and New Zealand is different, in which the tropical scents of white pulp fruits blend pleasantly with the typical herbaceous notes, releasing the more acidic properties of lemon peel and pomegranate in combination with wild herbs such as thyme. , sage, rosemary.

Why buy Sauvignon Blanc

Buying Sauvignon Blanc means first of all being able to familiarize yourself with one of the most widespread and famous white berried varieties in the world. The particular aromatic cut made by Sauvignon Blanc allows it to be considered as a semi-aromatic grape and, for this reason, very transversal with respect to tastes and culinary uses. Given its diffusion, buying this wine means being able to explore very diversified products and being able to deepen different local cultures, all enclosed in the great expressions of a single grape variety.

What is the origin of Sauvignon Blanc?

The origin of the name Sauvignon Blanc probably derives from sauvage (wild). There are two biotypes, that is expressions which, although belonging to the same variety, differ in some character: Sauvignon Piccolo and Sauvignon Grosso.

What are the characteristics of wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes?

Sauvignon Blanc produces wines with very recognizable characteristics: the color is usually straw yellow and can take on golden reflections with a fermentation or short aging in wood according to a widespread practice in the Pessac-Leognan area. In these cases the acid tones are diluted until they take on greater density and creaminess, with a pleasant worked note and more fruity scents. Sauvignon Blanc is otherwise recognizable for a marked shade of green apple, passion fruit and a herbaceous note ranging from asparagus to green pepper and basil.

What are the best combinations for Sauvignon Blanc?

Sauvignon Blanc is indicated in combination with grilled white meats, shellfish and fish such as sea bass flavored with lemon and parsley. For some it is also a valid accompaniment to risotto with asparagus, while it is the flagship wine for appetizers based on cold cuts and fresh cheeses.

Apulia is a land of sea and sun and the Apulian wine contains all its warmth. The vine has been cultivated in Apulia since ancient times, so much so that Pliny the Elder defined Manduria as viticulosa, that is, "full of vines". If in the past the wine was used as a "blending" wine to reinforce other wines, today Apulian wines are widespread and appreciated all over the world. Production is abundant and is close to 5000000 hectoliters. The native grapes are the protagonists, both in the whites with Fiano and Bombino Bianco, and in the reds with Primitivo, Negroamaro and Nero di Troia, which are sometimes part of the more famous and larger appellations, other times smaller and unknown.

Apulian red wine: fruit in its pure state

Apulian red wines are usually structured and juicy, with a strong fruity character. The most famous grapes are undoubtedly the Negroamaro (which gives soft and velvety reds, with a slightly bitter background) and the Primitivo, famous above all for the Primitivo di Manduria, which instead gives structured wines with a good alcoholic content and which seems a relative of Californian Zinfandel. Not to forget the Uva di Troia and the black Malvasia, also protagonist of the famous rosé wines of Salento and of a small and unknown appellation: the Cacc'e Mitte di Lucera. Also noteworthy are the sweet wines from red berried grapes, such as Primitivo liqueur and Salice Salentino Aleatico Passito, which manage to highlight the full potential of Apulian wines.

Apulian white wine: all the goodness of the earth

Apulia is known for its red wines, but there are also fine Apulian white wines, from the Locorotondo to the white Gravina passing through the Castel del Monte appellation. In this region there are both native grapes, such as Bombino Bianco, Malvasia Bianca and Verdeca, and international grapes, such as Chardonnay, which has found a happy island in Salento and is today one of the most widespread in the region. Apulian white wines are fresh and drinkable and for this reason they are easy to pair. From the white berried grapes are also born fabulous dessert wines, such as Moscato di Trani, which is present both as a sweet wine and as a straw wine.

What are the finest Apulian wines?

The most prestigious and famous Apulian wines are known all over the world and usually have large companies behind them: among the many, we cannot fail to mention the historic Five Roses by Leone De Castris (progenitor of the Salento rosé wines), the wines of the Tormaresca estate and above all the Primitivo di Gianfranco Fino, one of the most awarded and famous Apulian wines among wine lovers.

When were Apulian rosé wines born?

Apulian rosé wines are born with Leone De Castris' Five Roses: at the end of the last world war, the American general Charles Poletti, commissioner for supplies of the allied forces, asked for a large supply of rosé wine from the Leone De Castris winery. Thus was born a 100% Italian wine, but with a strictly American name: Five Roses (from the Cinque Vie district, not far from the Negroamaro vineyards that give life to this wine). A story full of successes, which today sees in this kind of rosé wines a must of the summer, in Italy and beyond.

What are the Apulian DOCG wines?

Apulian DOCG wines include three red wines, Castel Del Monte Bombino Nero DOCG, Castel del Monte Nero di Troia DOCG and Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva DOCG, as well as of course a sweet wine, the sweet natural Primitivo di Manduria DOCG. However, there are numerous DOC and IGT wines, scattered throughout the region from the Gargano to the extreme tip of Salento.