To find the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world, you have to rely on your own personal taste buds… and that’s because wines created from this same grape in different parts of the world can have completely different taste profiles!

Recently, I took part in a tasting where we compared different Sauvignon Blancs from around the world. We tasted one from the Marlborough region in New Zealand, one from Sancerre in France and one from the Chilean wine region of Central Valley.

All had similar characteristics but also big differences! So, I’ve ultimately come to the conclusion that the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world is simply the one that satisfies your personal palate the best!

I’m sharing more information here about what you can expect from different Sauvignon Blancs around the world so you can choose which one you’d like to try for yourself!

Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand

Personally, I think this may be my favorite! I fell in love with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc when we were on our honeymoon there and now it’s a staple in our home - especially in the Summer!

Characteristics

Citrus fruit flavor (lots of grapefruit!)
Herbaceous, grassy notes
Tropical fruit flavor (usually passion fruit!)
Racy, yet refreshing acidity (that mouth-watering feeling similar to what happens when you taste a lemon!)
Light-bodied

Some of my favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs:

Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre, France

I love Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre, I think because I feel like they taste so… sophisticated. These wines are so clean and refreshing and have a bright acidity that isn’t quite as racy as those New Zealand Sauvginon Blancs. Make sure you look for ‘Sancerre’ on the bottle’s label - wines from France are labelled by the region, not the grape variety!

Characteristics

Lime and melon Flavors
Chalky, mineral notes (in a good, clean-tasting way!)
Light-bodied
Bright acidity

Some of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs from Sancerre:

Pascal Jolivet

Salmon Sancerre Vieilles Vignes

Sauvignon Blanc from Central Valley, Chile

This was a new region for me and I’ll be honest, it wasn’t my personal favorite out of the three. But that’s what is so great about finding wines that please your own personal palate! I’m not writing the region off just yet and will definitely be trying more bottles from this region soon!

Characteristics

Citrus flavors (lime, grapefruit)
Some grassy, herbaceous notes
Tropical fruit flavors of banana and pineapple
Touch of salinity
High acidity

Sauvignon Blanc from California

While we didn’t taste a Sauvignon Blanc from California in our lineup, I’ve had them many times before, so wanted to include some notes for you on what to expect!