08/21/2026
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are the two most popular white wines in the world, both in terms of acres planted and global sales. They are grown in every corner of the globe and where they are made heavily influences how they taste.
Chardonnay is more mineral, richer, rounder, and often features notes of apple, pear, vanilla, and butter. Styles range from Chablis, where the wine is leaner, has slightly higher acidity, and is more mineral driven to California, where the wines show more exotic fruit flavors and the use of malolactic fermentation and oak barrel aging leaves the wine with a more rich or buttery texture.
Sauvignon Blanc tends to be lighter, crisper, and usually shows citrus, grapefruit, and herbal notes. In the Loire Valley, best represented in appellations like Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, the wines are lean, crisp, herbal and occasionally smokey. In the Southern Hemisphere, like New Zealand or South Africa, Sauvignon Blanc tends to be more fruit-forward, aromatic, and expressive.
We’ll be tasting these two fantastic wines this weekend head-to-head style at our Saturday tasting. Stop by to understand these two powerhouse grapes better and see how geography accounts for such a wide range of styles.
🕐 Saturday, August 22 1-7pm
📍10677 Main Street in Bellevue
free parking in garage behind the store, accessible from 106th Ave. Bring your license plate number for validation
