International Sauvignon Blanc Day is a celebration of the Sauvignon Blanc grape variety, one of the world’s most popular white wine grape varieties. This annual event was established in 2010 and is held on the first Friday in May. It intends to recognize and promote Sauvignon Blanc wines’ diversity, complexity, and versatility. The Sauvignon Blanc grape originated 500 years ago in France’s Bordeaux and Loire Valley region. The grape thrived in the cool, limestone-rich soils of the Loire Valley region and became the backbone of several famous appellations.
Sauvignon Blanc grapes were introduced to California in the late 1800s by Charles Wetmore, a state senator and viticulturist from the Livermore Valley. He brought the grape cuttings from the Château d’Yquem vineyard in Bordeaux to the Livermore Valley. The Sauvignon Blanc vines flourished in the warm climate, and the grape quickly gained popularity among winemakers. In the 1980s, winemakers from the Marlborough region in New Zealand started experimenting with Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Today New Zealand is renowned for its high-quality Sauvignon Blanc wines.
The Sauvignon Blanc grape variety is worthy of celebrating on this day in May because of its versatility, aromatic profile, food-friendliness, and global popularity. It is one of the world’s most widely planted grape varieties and is found in most wine-producing countries resulting in a range of high-quality white wines.
Here are some of Sauvignon Blanc’s numbers:
- There are about 300,000 acres of Sauvignon Blanc grapes worldwide. It is considered the eleventh-most planted wine grape in the world. (OIV, 2017)
- Sauvignon Blanc grapes are grown in many countries. France, New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, and the United States are the largest producers. (OIV, 2017)
- France is one of the world’s largest producers of Sauvignon Blanc, with 74,000 acres. It only accounts for 3.7% of France’s vineyard area, but its share has grown. (OIV, 2017)
- New Zealand is the next big producer, with around 64,000 acres. A little more than 60% of the vineyard acreage in New Zealand is planted with Sauvignon Blanc. (New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report 2022)
- In the United States, California and Washington are the big producers of Sauvignon Blanc grapes. California has 15,322 acres of Sauvignon Blanc grapes. (California Grape Acreage Report, 2021)
- The three counties in California with the most acreage dedicated to growing Sauvignon Blanc are Sonoma, Napa, and Lake County. (California Grape Acreage Report, 2021)
- In 2021, Washington state’s Sauvignon Blanc grape production was almost 8,320 tons, an 8% increase from 2020. (Washington Grape Production Report, 2021)
- Texas produces 66 acres of Sauvignon Blanc grapes, a similar number reported the year before. (USDA, 2020)
As you celebrate Sauvignon Blanc’s contribution to the wine world, remember these numbers or share them with your customers, colleagues, or friends.
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