Sauvignon Blanc has been here in the U.S. for a long time. From when viticulturist Charles Wetmore, founder of Cresta Blanca Winery, imported original grape cuttings from Bordeaux’s famed Château d’Yquem in the 19th century to when Robert Mondavi coined the rich, oak-aged Fumé Blanc style in Napa Valley.
Since then, the variety has happily existed in California and eventually traveled across the various wine regions of the U.S., from the Pacific Northwest to the shores of Maryland. This year also showed us that Sauvignon Blanc is thriving in Virginia, producing expressive, balanced wines that should not be overlooked in the Savvy B conversation.
We are also witnessing a shift in its home in the Loire Valley of France. The flinty and angular years of the past still exist today, but with more texture and depth. And we must not forget Friuli, a region that embraced stainless steel tanks early, and makes some amazing wines from the grape they call simply Sauvignon.
We tasted all of it for you, and below is our curated compilation of the best of the best from the grapes’ native land to its new terroirs (including Colorado!). Here are the best Sauvignon Blancs of 2026.
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How We Taste
We believe in tasting all products as our readers typically would: with full knowledge of the producer and, importantly, the price. Our tastings are therefore not conducted blind.
VinePair’s tasting panel evaluates every wine on its aromas, flavors, structure, balance, and quality. We also consider whether or not the wine showed typicity for its specific grape or region.
How We Compiled This List
To provide our readers with the most comprehensive and thoroughly tested list of the best Sauvignon Blancs to buy, VinePair invited producers, distributors, and PR firms working on their behalf to send samples for consideration. These bottles were submitted free of charge — producers didn’t pay to submit, nor did VinePair pay for the products. All were requested with the clear understanding that submission does not guarantee inclusion in the final list.
For the Sauvignon Blanc roundup, we assigned a score to each product on a 100-point scale based upon the quality and intensity of its aromas, flavors, texture, and finish. Then we reviewed all scores and compiled an editorially driven list that meets our criteria for the best Sauvignon Blanc to buy right now. Each wine was assessed on quality, price, and availability to compile the final list.
The Best Value Sauvignon Blanc
Dogwood & Thistle Wine Company Monticello Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Owners Sandy and Erin Robertson make great wine. We’ve reviewed many cuvées from Virginia’s Dogwood & Thistle over the years here at VinePair, but this might be the best one yet. Sauvignon Blanc had an amazing vintage in the Commonwealth, with incredible quality that punches far above its price point.
This crisp expression is crafted by gently pressing the grapes and aging the wine in a combination of stainless steel tanks and neutral barrels. This helps maintain freshness while adding a layer of texture and weight to the palate. The wine opens with bright notes of freshly squeezed lemons and white pepper, while the palate delivers ripe orchard fruit and a river rock minerality.
Average Price: $26
Rating: 94
The Best Splurge Sauvignon Blanc
CHO Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2025
This is an utterly mouth-watering, decadent American Sauvignon Blanc. Based in the Willamette Valley, CHO Wines is best known for its traditional method sparkling wines made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but don’t overlook this nuanced take on Sauvignon Blanc. For this wine, the team picks the grapes in two passes, one earlier and one later during harvest, to build complex layers of flavor. The result is a jaw-droppingly beautiful wine.
This bottle pops with vibrant tropical fruit flavors from guava to lychee, with hints of cooking herbs like sage. The mouthfeel is gorgeous, with a compelling waxy texture, ripe fruit, and balanced acidity. While Oregon Sauvignon Blanc might not be on your radar for a splurge, we highly recommend seeking this one out.
Average Price: $55
Rating: 98
The Best of the Rest:
Best Sauvignon Blancs Under $30
Borgo Conventi Sauvignon 2024
One of the best-kept Italian wine secrets shouldn’t be a secret at all. The Friuli region produces amazing Sauvignon Blanc. One of the first in the country to embrace stainless steel tanks as vessels for fermentation and aging, it makes absolute sense that it would work with this variety. This bright expression of Sauvignon Blanc is a great example. The nose is bold, but not overwhelming, with aromatic notes of jasmine, green bell peppers, and lemon zest. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe stone fruit and citrus notes balanced by supportive acidity.
Average Price: $22
Rating: 93
Stolpman Vineyards Santa Barbara County Sauvignon Blanc 2025
What began as a Napa honeymoon dream in 1974 became reality when Tom and Marilyn Stolpman got the wine bug. They landed in the limestone soils of Ballard Canyon in 1988, an AVA in Santa Barbara that was far less developed than it is today. That pioneering spirit continues today, with the next generation of the Stolpmans running this still family-owned business. This wine is sourced from the Stolpman estate, as well as some low-yielding neighboring vineyards. For the price, you can’t really beat this balance. Crisp and precise, this wine offers notes of passion fruit, guava, fresh herbs, lemon oil, and grapefruit.
Average Price: $24
Rating: 92
Erste + Neue Alto Adige Sauvignon 2025
Erste + Neue (first and new) is a historic co-op in Alto Adige, Italy, formed by the merger of one of the region’s first co-ops with a more modern cooperative. This delicious wine has a fat, juicy nose of sliced apples and bell peppers with hints of freshly cut grass and anise. The palate has an excellent balance with fresh, angular acidity and a rich depth of fruit.
Average Price: $25
Rating: 95
Joseph-Jibril Wines blanc. 2025
Bobby Joseph and Jaam Jibril’s goal with this wine was to make it affordable and easy to sip on an occasion from weeknight to weekend. And they 100 percent achieved that. This Sauvignon Blanc from the Russian River Valley opens with lemon zest, grapefruit pith, juicy pineapple, and jalapeño notes. The mouthful is bright with tangy citrus and a waxy, round texture.
Average Price: $25
Rating: 93
Vignobles Berthier Coteaux du Giennois Blanc 2024
Though not as well-known as its famous neighbors, the Coteaux du Giennois appellation is just north of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé along the Loire River. This bottle from Vignobles Berthier is made by the fifth generation of the Berthier family and is a wonderful expression of the variety in its perceived home. It brings delicate mineral, floral notes on the nose, with juicy fruit and savory hints on the palate.
Average Price: $26
Rating: 94
The Storm Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Sommeliers Steve Steese and Jayme Henderson decided to leave the dining room to become winemakers in 2017. Did they go to a legacy region like Burgundy, Bordeaux, or even California? No. They set up shop in Colorado. And since then, they have proven that delicious wine can be made there. This unique expression of Sauvignon Blanc delivers notes of guava, juicy apricots, and apples with a distinct minerality. Colorado for the win.
Average Price: $26
Rating: 93
Marinič Goriška Brda 2020
Domaine Vicomte de Noüe-Marinič is a collaboration between local winemaker Alis Marinič and Burgundian nobleman Charles-Louis de Noüe. The idea was to restore abandoned, high-potential vineyards in Slovenia’s Goriška Brda region using Burgundian practices. This Sauvignon has ample depth, with rich notes of citrus, pineapple, and marzipan with fresh herbs. The palate is exceptionally balanced, with a firm grip around the edges and fruit that is aging wonderfully. Drink it now.
Average Price: $26
Rating: 94
Veritas Vineyards & Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Virginia is on fire with Sauvignon Blanc right now, and winemaker Emily Hodson has found a stunning expression of the variety. This vintage is a shining example of just how amazing East Coast wine is. It shimmers with notes of lime zest, passion fruit, and minerals. It has a beautiful palate with a seamless acid to fruit ratio and a slight savory note that lingers on the finish.
Average Price: $29
Rating: 95
Best Sauvignon Blancs Under $50
Stinson Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2025
More evidence that Sauvignon Blanc is having a moment in Virginia. This wine is aged on its lees in a combination of stainless steel tanks and concrete, imparting the depth we see here. This wine offers layers of waxy orchard fruit, juicy tropical fruit, and savory bell pepper, all wrapped in a vibrant acidity.
Average Price: $30
Rating: 94
Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Long Meadow Ranch is proving that consistency in quality while being vintage-specific is still very much a part of Napa Valley; this winery is setting a standard. Its Sauvignon Blanc is delicious — soft, rich, and juicy, yet simultaneously refreshing and balanced. The nose is creamy and lemony, and the mouthfeel is full and zippy with great depth.
Average Price: $32
Rating: 94
Unionville Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2024
New Jersey is called the Garden State for a reason. Unionville is surrounded by farmland in southern New Jersey; all you need to do is find the right soil among the fertile ground. This wine proves the state is not all tomatoes and Jersey cows — it can make a killer Sauvignon Blanc too. Unionville’s reserve Sauvignon Blanc offers a mineral-driven nose with ripe apple and pear notes.
Average Price: $33
Rating: 93
Common Wealth Crush Co. Party Kiwi 2025
Common Wealth Crush Co. is a custom crush pad and winery incubator in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley that also produces its own label. This Sauvignon Blanc was initially made as a curiosity and became a hit, earning its place in Virginia wine canon. Zesty citrus, green apples, honeydew melon, and sea salt emerge across the nose and palate, with a slight hint of tropical fruit (kiwi, perhaps?).
Average Price: $32
Rating: 92
Old Westminster Sauvignon Blanc 2025
This wine is made from grapes grown on vines just three feet above sea level on the coast of Maryland. The result, from the skilled hands of winemaker Lisa Hinton, is a gorgeous example of how the East Coast, and Maryland in particular, is realizing its terroir. The expressive nose showcases a beautiful balance between the grape’s inherent peppery, herbaceous notes and bright fruit. Lemon verbena, guava, lime oil, and sea salt build the core of this vibrant bottle.
Average Price: $34
Rating: 95
Ignaz Niedrist Alto Adige Sauvignon ‘Porphyr & Kalk’ 2024
The words Porphyr and Kalk on this wine’s label refer to the two soil types the vines are grown in. It is a wine that blends terroirs in the high elevation sites of Italy’s Alto Adige. Weingut Ignaz Niedrist preserves the fresh, vibrant nature of mountain fruit with stainless steel and neutral oak applications to accentuate the wine’s inherent beauty. It has bright aromas of lemon zest, grapefruit pith, and a quiet, salty butter note. The palate has impeccable balance with soft, creamy fruit and supportive acidity. The finish lingers in the best way.
Average Price: $35
Rating: 96
SOM Sauvignon Blanc 2024
At SOM (State of Mind), each wine is made with a collaborative approach. An equal-partnership collective of sommeliers, winemakers, and vignerons drives the winemaking process. Not just one winemaker, but a team. And everyone gets credit. Coming from the Willamette Valley, this beautiful wine has a nose of tart citrus, just-ripe peaches, ginger, and lemon curd. The palate is rich yet grippy and refreshing, with great fruit concentration and an involved acidity that speeds through the wine.
Average Price: $36
Rating: 95
Bricoleur Kick Ranch Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Kick Ranch Vineyard is a 43-acre site located on the western slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains in Sonoma County’s Fountaingrove District AVA. The Sauvignon Blanc vines here were planted in the steepest section of the vineyard over 20 years ago, developing deep roots. This wine sees whole-cluster pressing, and you can taste it. Tropical notes of passion fruit and guava jump out on the nose, lifted by light, zippy notes of lemon zest. The palate is refreshing, with soft, creamy fruit and beautiful acidity that keeps the wine lively.
Average Price: $36
Rating: 93
History Bacchus Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Bacchus Vineyard retains 16 acres of its original 1972 Sauvignon Blanc plantings, making it a rare source of 50-plus-year-old white wine fruit in Washington. History’s founder and winemaker Melissa Burr focuses on making limited-production single-vineyard wines from historic Pacific Northwest sites, including old-vine blocks like Bacchus. The attention to detail and respect for the vines are in this bottle. This Sauvignon Blanc has an elegant, savory nose with freshly cut grass, white pepper, and a slate-like minerality. The palate is both full and refreshing, with a nice, soft grip around the edges and a calm, balanced mouthfeel.
Average Price: $40
Rating: 96
Slater Run Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2025
The Slater family has farmed along Goose Creek in Virginia for 300 years, but in 2010, it decided to plant grape vines as well. And we are so glad they did. This wine has a stunning purity, with earthy bell peppers, crisp apples, and fresh cooking herbs on the nose. The mouthfeel is extremely focused, with fruit, acid, and the grape’s classic pyrazine flavors all equally present. The balance here is amazing.
Average Price: $40
Rating: 95
Turley Sauvignon Blanc ‘Estate’ 2024
Larry Turley loves oysters so much that he made a wine to pair with them. Known for its legendary Zinfandel, the Turley winery also makes this absolute stunner of a Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes from this wine are sourced from a small plot of head-trained, dry-farmed vines on an estate vineyard in Saint Helena. It has a beautiful nose with aromas of honeydew melon, green apple, and sage. The palate is elegant and balanced, with soft, medium-bodied fruit and refreshing acidity.
Average Price: $43
Rating: 95
Domaine Hubert Brochard Sancerre 2025
There is a lot of Sancerre out there, and with its rising popularity, the shelves are flooded with pricey options, which can be dizzying. If you dig this region, this is a solid choice. Soft, juicy, and delicious with vibrant fruit and an even palate. This is a very textured wine, so although the flavors are subtle, the complex, rounded mouthfeel makes it a stand-out.
Average Price: $45
Rating: 94
Inglenook Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Inglenook is one of the most historic wineries we have in the U.S. It was established by Finnish sea captain and fur trader Gustave Niebaum in the late 19th Century. Today, the winery is in the hands of the Coppola family. This Sauvignon Blanc bottling takes a cue from Bordeaux, blending in 24 percent Semillon for added body and texture. Time aging in new French oak, neutral French oak, and stainless steel also adds complexity. The result is a wine with a rich body and a balance of bright and creamy notes — thick Greek yogurt, lemon zest, and freshly cut grass.
Average Price: $48
Rating: 93
Best Sauvignon Blancs Over $50
Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Known for its Chardonnay and ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon, Chateau Montelena has a few surprises up its sleeve as well. The iconic winery makes a beautiful Zinfandel, and here we have an elegant, balanced Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in French oak for five months, it offers a lemony, creamy nose, with hints of white pepper. The soft touch of Semillon (18 percent in the final blend) helps maintain depth and texture to the body without overpowering the wine’s aroma. Well done.
Average Price: $50
Rating: 96
Robert Mondavi Winery The Estates Sauvignon Blanc Stags Leap District 2023
The Mondavi family has a presence in Northern California wine, like the Pontac family of Château Haut-Brion had a presence in Bordeaux when the region was just realizing what it had. This wine is proof that winemaking at this legendary property remains focused. This comes from their Estate collection, made with grapes sourced from across several of Mondavi’s sites, including those planted to a clone sourced from the To Kalon Vineyard at its Oakville estate, which itself was planted in 1945. The result is a beautiful, rich, and elegant wine. The nose is a bit neutral, but this wine is all texture; the palate is rich and grippy, with wonderful fruit concentration and a refreshing finish.
Average Price: $50
Rating: 94
Clos du Val Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2025
This iconic winery, involved in the 1976 Judgement of Paris, is part of Napa history. Today, it is still family-owned and has a deep presence in our wine culture. This Sauvignon Blanc includes a touch of Semillon in the blend and is aged in a combination of new French oak, neutral oak, and stainless steel tanks to add some richness. The result is a wine that opens with fresh, zesty citrus and herb notes that lands a bit rounder on the palate. Solid old-school, cool-climate Napa Valley vibes.
Average Price: $55
Rating: 92
Hamel Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Moon Mountain is calling, and we are listening. This year we have tasted some amazing wines from this district in Sonoma County, and this Hamel Sauvignon Blanc continues to justify our obsession with how good the wines are coming from this high elevation site. The nose is calm and subtle, yet shows a confident aroma profile of white pepper, waxy flower petals, and the calming notes of patchouli. The mouthfeel is extremely balanced, with acid and fruit combined into structured depth and texture.
Average Price: $60
Rating: 97
Frog’s Leap Winery Concrete Aged Sauvignon Blanc 2024
This is one of the most unique American wines. A concrete-aged Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from Napa’s esteemed Rutherford AVA, made by one of the most sustainable wineries in the country. It has a soft, creamy nose with notes of lemon curd and fresh herbs. The palate has wonderful depth, balanced by an angled acidity that lets you know it’s there without interrupting the calm, refreshing fruit.
Average Price: $60
Rating: 94
Serge Laloue Sancerre ‘Cuvée 1166’ 2023
The name says it all. This wine comes from the specific parcel containing 1166 vines on a hill in Sancerre. The wine sits on fine lees for 11 months, absorbing depth in 600-liter oak barrels. It has a deep, waxy nose with ripe apples, a hint of lemon zest, and river-rock minerality. The palate is gorgeous, with rounded, waxy fruit and bright, mineral-driven acidity.
Average Price: $65
Rating: 96
Sentium Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino 2024
Sentium is a project from the fourth generation of the legendary Mondavi family, working with organic vineyards in Mendocino’s Redwood Valley. Winegrower Chiara Mondavi crafted this soft, fleshy wine with 92 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 8 percent Semillon aged in equal parts concrete, neutral French oak, and stainless steel. The resulting wine is elegant with notes of fresh citrus and herbs, lifted by a river rock minerality. The mouthfeel brings precision and depth, with a slight grip.
Average Price: $75
Rating: 95
FAQs
Which country makes the best Sauvignon Blanc?
Originally from France, Sauvignon Blanc now grows all over the world. The most notable regions for Sauvignon Blanc are California, New Zealand, Chile, Italy, Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, and South Africa.
Why is New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc so popular?
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has notes of tropical fruit, grapefruit, grass, and lime that make the wine easy to sip and appealing to a wide range of tastes. It also pairs well with popular dishes such as seafood and fresh vegetables.
Is Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc?
Sancerre is a region of France that showcases a crisp expression of Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Sauvignon Blanc wines from this region have notes of tart lemon, wet stone, and green apple and are known for their light flavor profile and minerality.
What’s the correct serving temperature for Sauvignon Blanc?
The best serving temperature for Sauvignon Blanc is between 45 and 49 degrees Fahrenheit. A general rule of thumb is that the lighter a wine is in color and flavor, the colder it should be served. We recommend chilling Sauvignon Blanc in the fridge for roughly an hour and a half and letting it come up to temp on the kitchen counter for 20 minutes before serving.
