The huge popularity of Sauvignon Blanc owes as much to Marlborough, New Zealand as it does to Sancerre.
The Loire may be this grape's spiritual home but since the mid 1980s, New Zealand has taken the world by storm with its own very distinctive brand of Sauvignon. And now, most other New World countries have entered the fray.
Although Sauvignon Blanc is best-known for its dry wines, it also makes some luscious sweet wines, particularly when affected by noble rot or botrytis. The most famous example of this can be found in Bordeaux where, blended with Semillon and Muscadelle, it's used to craft Sauternes.
