THE POINT WHERE SAUVIGNON MEETS CHARDONNAY
I’ve had lots of feedback regarding previous articles on white wine. More people are starting to dip their toes in this wonderful ocean of grape varieties and styles. But still, plenty of confusion remains.
So I’m going to talk about two of the most popular white varieties: chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.
Both are worth drinking, but as always, it’s a question of situation. Let’s start with their essential qualities and differences.
In broad terms, I put sauvignon blanc in the family of acidic wines, and chardonnay in the textured, or “fat” category.
Now, if either of these descriptions scare you, understand that everything is on a continuum. In fact, there’s a point where these two grapes almost intersect.
Sauvignon blanc, aside from being more acidic (or refreshing, if you want a more palatable word), is more aromatic. Chardonnay can be rather neutral, ranging from green apples to stone fruits.
Sauvignon blanc can explode with citrus notes like grapefruit and lime, as well as a green note that ranges from freshly cut grass to jalapeño and asparagus.
If that aromatic menu sounds weird, stick your nose in a typical New Zealand sauvignon blanc, where you get a distinctive mix of green pepper with lime cordial. It’s the bestselling sauvignon blanc style in Quebec.
It’s also the most acidic of the sauvignon blancs, because the grapes are the least ripe when harvested. As you taste through other styles, which tend to have riper grapes at harvest, the wines gain more texture, and have less of that green pepper or asparagus note. While acidity always remains high, they’re less mouth-puckering — or more comfortable, as I like to say.
Sancerre is the ideal example of this style. The green note is toned down to more of a grassy note. While it’s fresh, there’s a touch more texture on the palate. And when grown in certain soils, there’s a chalky, salty, mineral note.
If this sounds familiar, it may be because it’s also a description of where one finds the freshest, or highest-acidity, Chardonnays: Chablis.
While less aromatic than Sancerre, Chablis has a fairly driving acidity, with a chalky, mineral finish. The appellations share a similar soil, called Kimmeridgean — basically, fossilized oyster shells. So, if you like Sancerre, you’ll like Chablis.
Leaving Chablis, chardonnay starts to get riper and riper — less acidic and more textured. The fruit moves from green apples to peach, apricot, and for the ripest examples, tropical fruit. It’s at this point that you can feel the classic chardonnay “fat” on the mid-palate.
I drink the New Zealand style when I’m eating asparagus or spicy shrimp, or when I want a zippy apéritif.
I also drink Sancerre as an apéritif, with white fish or, if it’s really mineral, oysters and other simple seafood.
Chablis also works with oysters, but is great with lobster.
Richer Chardonnays are perfect for heavier fish, scallops, and even white meats.