Great Wine Values: Oberon Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon blanc can be a frustrating wine to shop for because its wines tend to fall into one of two distinct styles with little or no indication on their labels of which to expect. The grape’s split personality stems from the fact that two of France’s key wine regions have a tradition of making white wines with sauvignon blanc. Historically speaking, the grape is native to the damp and frigid upper reaches of the Loire Valley, where tiny villages like Sancerre make bone-dry sauvignon blancs that feature citrusy herbal flavors with the sharp acidity of white grapefruit juice. Globally, this tart and leafy Loire-inspired style is mimicked in cool-climate growing regions, such as New Zealand and coastal Chile. However, sauvignon blanc is also the primary white grape of a much more famous French wine region, Bordeaux, where warmer, drier conditions allow for greater fruit ripeness and where a red-wine-centric culture favored the use of oak barrels in winemaking. It is this Bordeaux-inspired model of sauvignon blanc that we see most often followed in warmer, drier regions like California and Washington, as with this beautifully balanced example from the sunny Napa Valley. These wines are still dry and refreshing, and lighter than chardonnays as a rule. But compared with the cooler-climate Loire style, they are less acidic and less vegetal, with softer, plumper flavors reminiscent of poached pears and honeydew melon. When in doubt about which sauvignon blanc style to expect, check the fine print; alcohol content over 13.5 percent strongly suggests the richer Bordeaux-style flavor profile.

Oberon sauvignon blanc, Napa Valley, Calif. $12.99 (regularly $16.99; sale price through May 27). PLCB Item #9372.

Also available at Hops & Grapes in Glassboro ($15.98); Canal’s Bottlestop in Marlton ($16.09); Berkley Fine Wine & Spirits in Clarksboro ($17.99).