One of the world’s greatest grapes, sauvignon blanc, has suffered enough indignities over the years to qualify as a survivor—though the accolades it has received recently make it seem as if it’s always been a star.
In fact, the history of this variety is so checkered that most of today’s younger wine buyers would never guess what crises it faced. Today it’s widely seen as a go-to grape, a patio sipper best on hot days to cool the brow, and great with lighter food.
In its most classic form, in France’s eastern Loire Valley, it’s one of the more challenging varieties to understand. At its best, it requires lots of bottle aging!…