Editing Sauvignon blanc (section)

==Winemaking==
[[File:Marlborough vineyard.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Sauvignon blanc vineyards in Marlborough, New Zealand, demonstrating restrictive pruning practices]]
[[Winemaker]]s in New Zealand and Chile harvest the grapes at various intervals for the different blending characteristics that the grape can impart depending on its ripeness levels. At its most unripe stage, the grape is high in [[malic acid]]. As it progresses further towards ripeness the grape develops [[bell pepper|red & green pepper]] flavors and eventually achieves a balance of sugars.<ref name="Clarke p. 222"/> The flavors characteristic of Sauvignon blanc come from the chemicals ''[[methoxypyrazines]]''. Grapes grown in Marlborough's [[Wairau Valley]] may exhibit different levels of ripeness over the vineyard, caused by slight unevenness in the land and giving a similar flavor profile to the resulting wine.

Sauvignon blanc can be greatly influenced by decisions in the [[winemaking]] process. One decision is the amount of contact that the [[must]] has with the skins of the grape. In the early years of the New Zealand wine industry, there were no wineries in the South Island, which meant that freshly harvested grapes had to be trucked and then ferried to the [[North Island]], often all the way up to [[Auckland]]. This allowed for prolonged exposure of the skins and juice which sharpened the intensity and pungency of the wine. Some winemakers, like the Loire, intentionally leave a small amount of must to spend some time in contact with the skin for later blending purposes. Other winemakers, like in California, generally avoid any contact with the skin due to the reduced aging ability of the resulting wine.<ref name="Clarke p. 223">{{cite book |last1=Clarke |first1=Oz |title=Encyclopedia of Grapes |date=2001 |publisher=Harcourt Books |isbn=0-15-100714-4 |pages=223 |url=https://ozclarke.com/category/books/ |access-date=18 May 2021}}</ref>

[[File:Washington fume blanc.jpg|left|thumb|A Sauvignon blanc from Washington State labeled as a Fumé Blanc]]
Another important decision is the temperature of [[fermentation (wine)|fermentation]]. French winemakers prefer warmer fermentations (around 16–18&nbsp;°C) that bring out the mineral flavors in the wine while [[New World wine]]makers prefer slightly cooler temperatures to bring out more fruit and tropical flavors. A small minority of Loire winemakers will put the wine through [[malolactic fermentation]], a practice more often associated with New Zealand wines.<ref name="Clarke p. 223"/> Oak aging can have a pronounced effect on the wine, with the oak rounding out the flavors and softening the naturally high acidity of the grape. Some winemakers, like those in New Zealand and Sancerre, prefer stainless steel fermentation tanks over barrels with the intention of maintaining the sharp focus and flavor intensity.<ref name="MacNeil p. 811">K. MacNeil. ''The Wine Bible'', p. 811, Workman Publishing 2001. {{ISBN|1-56305-434-5}}.</ref>

Sauvignon blanc can be combined with a variety of dishes as it is an easy approachable wine. If we are looking for light meat, it can be suitable for chicken or turkey. Sauvignon blanc is also excellent for seafood such as lobster, squid, and so on. It is a perfect complement to soft cheeses such as feta, chevre or buffalo mozzarella. Also for vegetable dishes that contain eggplant or zucchini and spices such as thyme or bay leaves.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.winetourism.com/sauvignon-blanc/|title=Sauvignon blanc }}''Winetourism.com, Retrieved 17.07.2023''</ref>
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