There is hardly a wine lover who doesn't know the taste and aromatic profile of Sauvignon Blanc. Almost synonymous with white wine in Bulgaria, due to its widespread distribution and marketing strategies, mainly for wines from New Zealand, the variety has both passionate supporters and opponents, mainly due to its "market monopoly" and the underestimation of other equally, if not more interesting, white varieties.

But what can the variety actually "do"? Besides having noble parents, one of whom is the king of reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, the variety also has a noble origin: the villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé in the Loire Valley. Although we find it in the role of a parent in Bordeaux, complex DNA studies indicate the Loire Valley as its homeland and the Chenin Blanc and Savagnin varieties as its closest relatives, and Grüner Veltliner, Petit Manseng, Sylvaner and Verdelho as more distant ones. Its name probably comes from the French "sauvage" ("wild") and "blanc" ("white") and has genetic similarities with another French variety, Savagnin.

Sauvignon Blanc has undoubtedly been the star of the last fifteen years, not only because of its widespread distribution – almost everywhere in the Old and New Wine World – but also because of its aromatic profile. Sauvignon Blanc directly benefited from the search by wine consumers bored with Chardonnay. Its juicy and crisp acidity, as well as attractive aromas, quickly made it a universal favourite. The interesting thing about it is that it can remarkably reflect specific viticultural and oenological approaches and, depending on this, it comes in two styles: "green" and "yellow". Whichever of the two styles it is produced in, Sauvignon Blanc is generally without oak contact. To round out the taste and body and add complexity and depth to the wine, so-called aging on lees (sediments) is possible – the process is called Sur Lie in French, and this may sometimes be noted on the label.

The "green" style is characterized by intense, recognizable aromas of green pepper, asparagus, grass, nettle, ivy, gooseberry, and kiwi, ideally accompanied by notes of limestone and wet rock; a fresh, firm, juicy, and very aromatic body. Wines in this style come predominantly from New Zealand, South Africa, and Chile, although, of course, European ones can sometimes be in this style.

In the "yellow" style, ripe pear, quince, melon, elderflower, acacia, white and yellow flowers, and toasted bread crust dominate the nose. This style is characteristic of Europe: Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé in France, Alto Adige and Friuli in Italy, Styria in Austria.

There are three wine regions that exemplify the two styles almost textbook-perfect: Marlborough in New Zealand (for the first style) and Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé in the Loire Valley (for the second).

In France, Sauvignon Blanc ranks third in white grape vineyards (after Ugni Blanc and Chardonnay), and its purest expression undoubtedly comes from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé in the Loire Valley. The varietal wines from the vineyards of these two towns, without oak contact and often accompanied by characteristic terroir notes, are anything but harmless and fresh light wines. A more accurate word to describe them would be "memorable."

By general consensus, the most exciting Sauvignon Blanc outside of France is from the Marlborough region in New Zealand. It was first planted in the 1970s as an experiment to be blended with Müller-Thurgau. However, this did not happen, and it became the wine emblem of New Zealand. The concentrated, aromatic, and fruity Sauvignon Blancs guarantee this small island nation a stable place in the global wine elite.

In California, known as Fumé Blanc, Sauvignon shows what it looks like with oak contact. Sometimes a bit clumsy for European tastes, but generally an interesting interpretation of the variety.

In Northern Italy – Friuli and Alto Adige – we find restrained Sauvignon Blancs on the nose, the best of which show depth and potential. These are the wines you can transition to at a slightly more advanced stage of your tasting practice.

May 1st is not only "Labour Day" but also International Sauvignon Blanc Day.