Sauvignon Blanc a Pacific Northwest favorite

One of the Northwest’s longtime steadily growing white wines is Sauvignon Blanc.

In Washington, it is the No. 4 white grape, after Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, bringing in about 7,000 tons during the 2014 harvest.

Often, Sauvignon Blanc is the first grape picked, usually around Labor Day. Winemakers appreciate its bright, sleek acidity, while consumers love it for its ability to perfectly pair with seafood, particularly shellfish such as oysters, crab or scallops.

While Sauvignon Blanc is a fairly important grape in Washington, it’s fairly rare elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest. For example, it ranks seventh among white varieties in Oregon – behind even Müller-Thurgau – but it can be found  if you dig around.

Here are 10 examples of Sauvignon Blanc we’ve tasted recently.