Cabernet Sauvignon or Sauvignon Blanc? Red or White?

 

Anticipating readers asking whether A Taste of Sauvignon references a red wine or a white one, I thought this would be as good a place as any to tackle that question head on.

I’m no expert on the subject of wine . . . in fact, one of the things I like best about it is the long learning curve. My mind, nose and palate can never run out of surprises! But if you’re even newer at oenology than I, it’s helpful to remember that ‘white’ grapes appear light green on the vine. All the other ones—the gorgeous purples, the reds, the bluish ones—are referred to by wine makers as ‘black.’

Cabernet sauvignon (let’s say cabernet here to avoid confusion, or even shorter, ‘cab’) is a red wine from a black grape. The wine is usually described as full-bodied and high in the tannins that give it a faint, tea-like bitterness. You might also taste blackcurrant or pencil shavings. The good thing about cab—which is also the bad thing—is that it’s amenable to being made into so many variations . . . from fresh and fruity, to highly complex. As a result, when you order a random glass of cab, you can never be sure what you’re going to get.

So to say that you like or don’t like cab is almost like saying you like or don’t like vegetables. Are you talking about carrots? Brussels sprouts? Lettuce?

On the other hand, the name sauvignon blanc doubles as a white grape and a light-bodied, dry white wine known for its grassy, grape-fruit-y character. It’s tangy and pungent, delightful on a hot summer day. Lots of people far more knowledgeable than I say sauvignon blanc from the town of Marlborough, New Zealand is the standard by which to judge all the others, and I happen to agree. My BFFs know they can’t go wrong showing up at my door holding a bottle of Kim Crawford.

So which is my heroine Savvy based on, cabernet sauvignon or sau vignon blanc? Write to me at HeatherHeyford@gmail.com with your guesses!