Is Sauvignon Blanc Poised to Become Oregon’s Next Great White Grape?
Most drinkers associate Oregon with Chardonnay, but an array of winemakers are making excellent, affordable Sauvignon Blanc. Learn why. [...] Read More... The post Is Sauvignon Blanc Poised to Become Oregon’s Next Great White Grape? appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.
Chardonnay is the white wine grape most drinkers associate with Oregon, but in recent years, winemakers across the state have been exploring the immense potential of Sauvignon Blanc.
It’s certainly an underdog.
In 2024, there were about 150 acres of Sauvignon Blanc planted in the Beaver State. It’s a small fraction of the 44,500 acres under vine—but it’s rising, up from 69 acres in 2018. And yet, in terms of style, value and quality, Sauvignon Blanc is arguably the best, least-known varietal white wine made in Oregon.
The growing interest in the grape is spread across the state, from the northern Willamette Valley to the southern Rogue Valley. Producers include large wineries and boutique operations.
Andrew Rich began to make Sauvignon Blanc for his namesake winery in 1999, and he sees a growing interest.
A Win for Growers and Consumers
It’s good for growers, says Rich, because it’s a “niche” grape that’s not difficult to sell even when other varieties are in oversupply. For wineries, it doesn’t require extensive aging or expensive new barrels.
“Consumers like to try new things, and Sauvignon Blanc fits nicely into the way people like to eat and drink these days,” he says. “Simple dishes work well with crisp, refreshing, aromatic wines.”
King Estate is often credited with putting Oregon Pinot Gris on the global map, so it’s big news when the winery embraces another white wine grape.
After six years of offering limited (club only) experiments with single-vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, the winery introduced a blended Willamette Valley version nationally in 2019. It’s rich with luscious fruit, including citrus and fresh-picked peaches.
Ryan Johnson, King Estate’s former director of brand marketing, says that before the winery brings a bottling to the broader market, it looks hard at the national trends.
“We became reassured to see that there has been a consistent healthy pace for luxury-tiered Sauvignon Blanc,” he says.
A World-Class Contender
In the Rogue Valley, Padigan winemaker Kiley Evans jumped aboard with Sauvignon Blanc after extensive discussions, research and visits with growers and producers in Oregon, California and New Zealand. To match site to variety, he organized benchmark tastings with wines from Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, New Zealand and others.
“We found that for our site, with its clayey-loam soils, continental climate and wide diurnal temperature swings, our wines fit somewhere between the racy acidity of New Zealand, the full-blown tropical fruit of Napa/Sonoma, and the steely minerality of the Loire,” says Evans.
Some of the ripest, richest Sauvignon Blanc on the West Coast comes from River’s Edge, in Oregon’s Elkton subappellation. Mike Landt’s wines frequently top 15% alcohol, yet rarely seem overblown. Its southerly location, says Landt, gives more heat during summer afternoons. Nights are cool, due to the ocean’s proximity.
“That combination allows us to achieve a bit more ripeness without creating flabbiness in the wine,” he says.
There may never be just one style of Oregon Sauvignon Blanc, but the diversity is a tasting adventure all on its own.
Oregon Sauvignon Blancs to Try
J.C. Somers 2021 Croft Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Willamette Valley)
Winemaker Jay Somers is a Sauvignon Blanc master who has worked with this vineyard for many years. The intersection of those two facts results in a wine like this, with its electrifying acidity, and aromas of gooseberries, fresh-cut grass and a rhubarb tart. A rhubarb-strawberry combination is graced by a tart tangerine flavor. Absolute torch and twang. 94 Points. Editor’s Choice. — Michael Alberty $34 Schaefer’s
Top Source 2022 Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley (OR))
Yet another beautiful wine from Top Source. This Sauvignon Blanc packs plenty of acidity yet maintains a smooth, creamy texture. A fresh pine needle note joins aromas of lychee, guava, and prickly pear. Lemon butter and honeycomb flavors are complemented by a trace of sage. 93 points. — Michael Alberty $15 Rye Brook Wines
Tekstura 2021 Redford-Wetle Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Eola-Amity Hills)
Tekstura is a new Willamette Valley winery that, based on its first releases, has a bright future. Its Sauvignon Blanc sports flamboyant aromas of lime, freshly cut grass, juniper berries and a chilled glass of Fresca. It has a crisp mouthfeel, elevated acidity and its gooseberry, ginger and candied-lemon-peel flavors go on forever. 93 points. Editor’s Choice. — Michael Alberty $45 Grand Vin Wine Merchants
Padigan 2022 Sauvignon Blanc (Rogue Valley)
Each sniff of this wine is a trip to the ice cream truck. First there’s pineapple push-ups. Then a mango popsicle. Those aromas are followed by a hint of lemon basil shaved ice. Lemon verbena and chamomile flavors join with blazing acidity for one crisp treat. Fish tacos, just saying. 92 points. Editor’s Choice. — Michael Alberty $19 Wine Express
Sweet Cheeks 2022 Quail Run Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Rogue Valley)
Love & Squalor 2022 Sauvignon Blanc (Willamette Valley)
If you ate fresh apricots and let the juice drip down your chin while standing in the middle of a fresh-mowed lawn, it would smell like this wine. Pink grapefruit, honeycomb and spearmint flavors are merely a big bonus. Zingy acidity paces an icy crisp texture. 90 points. Best Buy. — Michael Alberty $21 Merchant of Wine
More Sauvignon Blanc Coverage
- These are the best Sauvignon Blanc bottles to drink right now.
- Think you know Sauvignon Blanc? Try aging it.
- Two regions in Chile are producing outstanding Sauvignon Blanc.
- Sommeliers debate Chardonnay vs. Sauvignon Blanc.
- Is anyone buying Napa and Sonoma’s luxury Sauvignon Blanc?
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