www.cheersonline.com
20
• May 2015
Sauvignon Blanc for Sauvignon Blanc for
Summer
The versatile white varietal is a perfect match for seasonal menus
By James Scarpa
A
s summer fast approaches, it's bringing
local produce from the farmer's
markets and the lighter, fresher meals
we dream about all winter. For wine sellers, it's
a time when sauvignon blanc is in vogue.
This versatile grape makes wines that are
crisp, dry, aromatic and vibrant, distinctive in
each growing region and eminently suited for
sipping and matching with the foods of the
season. With that in mind, Cheers asked some
leading wine professionals for their perspectives
on sauvignon for summer.
RYAN ARNOLD, LETTUCE
ENTERTAIN YOU ENTERPRISES,
CHICAGO
Night after night at RPM Italian in Chicago, you can bet
that sauvignon blanc will be one of the two top-selling
white varietals by the glass, doing battle with pinot grigio
and chardonnay.
And that's fi ne with Ryan Arnold, sommelier/division
wine director for the modern Italian dining spot. But
he also aspires to show guests who enjoy clean, crisp,
stainless-steel-fermented sauvignon that there are higher
expressions of the grape that might increase their pleasure.
The key to exploring added texture, fl avor and aroma in
sauvignon blanc is a moderately higher investment, Arnold
