An odd but tasty blend
A while back, I talked about an odd blend of red grapes that turned out well. Today let’s look at a marriage of white grapes that don’t usually mix.
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I’ls I opined in my March 28, 2025 column, An odd, good red blend, unfamiliar varietal blends can yield wines as delightful as a chef’s creations, or as scary as Frankenstein’s monster. Or even both at the same time.
The subject of that discussion, Sean Minor Nicole Marie Red Blend, brought together a non-traditional mixture of California North Coast Merlot, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah in a dark, extracted wine that boasted abundant red fruit, fragrant black pepper, and a restrained whiff of oak.
Today, let’s turn to France’s Loire Valley for an impressive white table wine that brings together two grapes that usually toil in different pastures: Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
“Domaine du Salvard has been a working domaine since 1898, through five hardworking generations of the Delaille family. Today, all forty-two hectares of vineyards are farmed by the capable brother team of Emmanuel and Thierry Delaille, with help from their father Gilbert.” (Kermit Lynch photo)
Chardonnay probably reaches its most exalted heights in Burgundy, where it makes some of the world’s greatest white wines as well as a virtual lake of good but more ordinary white wine; and in Champagne; but it’s planted around the world of wine, where it ranks among the most abundant white vines from France to California, South America, and Down Under.
Chardonnay is versatile, made in many styles, but it’s relatively neutral in character, a palette for winemaker interventions like skin contact, malolactic fermentation, and of course, oak. It’s rarely blended outside Champagne, but there it’s often delightfully mixed with Pinot Noir.
Sauvignon Blanc, in contrast, is highly aromatic and distinctly flavored, and usually acidic, with aromas varying depending on location and the vines’ exposure to sunlight — ranging from bright citrus to cool, “green” herbal scents. It’s common in the Loire, usually as a single-varietal wine, and in Bordeaux, where it’s invariably part of a blend with Semillon. It’s New Zealand’s trademark grape but – like Chardonnay – grown in just about every part of the vine-growing world.
Mixing the two together is a bit less common, although according to Wine-Searcher’s Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc page, it’s been tried in just about any region where both grapes are grown. Although these experiments are not always impressive, the unsigned article points out, “when blended successfully, Chardonnay can add roundness and length to an otherwise-thin Sauvignon Blanc and conversely, Sauvignon Blanc can bring crisp acidity and lively aromatics to a dull and broad Chardonnay.”
One of the places where this blend seems to work is Cheverny in the Loire, the source of today’s wine.
In his report on the 2024 vintage, importer Kermit Lynch says: “Thierry and Emmanuel Delaille of Domaine du Salvard specialize in crisp, mouthwatering Sauvignon Blanc, but for this cuvée, they add a splash of Chardonnay, which brings complexity, flesh, and notes of Meyer lemon and orchard fruit. The base of Sauvignon Blanc, meanwhile, provides freshness and liveliness as well as its characteristic flavors of passion fruit and lime zest. The two grape varieties combine for outstanding versatility.”
Today we’re tasting a Loire Valley wine made from an untraditional mix of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. How do you feel about unexpected varietal blends?
Because this wine cost me $23 at local retail, carries a $22 price at Kermit Lynch, and lists a $21 average retail price per Wine-Searcher, I would normally place it behind our subscription paywall.
However, because Wine-Searcher’s database also shows many retailers offering it in the upper teens, I’ve decided to lift the paywall for this week’s tasting report. Enjoy, and I’ll be very grateful if you’ll consider supporting us with a subscription upgrade.
Today’s Tasting Report
Delaille 2024 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Blanc ($22.99)
A Loire Valley blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Chardonnay, Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Blanc is a clear, light straw color. Its aroma is complex and enticing, opening up as the wine warms in the glass: It begins with apple and mango scents with hints of grapefruit and white pepper over a distinct background of rocky minerality. All this comes across on the palate in a textured, medium-bodied flavor that lingers in a long, minerally finish. 12.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: It would be a versatile flavor with scallops, shrimp, or white fish, roasted chicken breast in a cream sauce, goat cheese, or grilled asparagus. We enjoyed it with a simple dish of bucatini with butter and garlic.
WHEN TO DRINK: Enjoy it over the next year or two while it’s young and fresh.
VALUE:
This excellent Loire white is a good value at my local $23 price and Wine-Searcher.com’s $21 average U.S. retail price. Bargain hunters will note, however, that many retailers offer it in the upper teens.
WEB LINK:
Importer Kermit Lynch offers an article about Domaine du Salvard as well as this info sheet on the 2024 Cheverny Blanc.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Blanc on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read more about Cheverny and browse more wines of the region at this Wine-Searcher link.
Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read more about the relatively uncommon Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay blend.
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Cour-Cheverny, a commune within the larger Cheverny, is home to the rare Romorantin. It would be interesting to compare it to this blend.