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VinePair asked 10 sommeliers to name an underrated Sauvignon Blanc, and their picks range from Baja, Mexico, to Austria, South Africa and several Loire Valley appellations. The recommendations are expert opinions, not a ranked tasting or evidence that the wines are broadly overlooked.
VinePair’s 2026 survey of 10 sommeliers highlights Sauvignon Blancs from lesser-discussed producers and regions, including Baja, Austria’s Styria, South Africa’s Elgin and Loire Valley appellations beyond Sancerre. The recommendations offer wine shoppers alternatives to familiar labels, but the article presents individual professional opinions rather than a blind tasting, ranking or sales-based measure of what is underrated.
The sommeliers’ suggestions span several styles and price-market contexts, though the source does not provide prices. Jill Weber, owner of Philadelphia’s Jet Wine Bar, recommends Casa Jipi Sauvignon Blanc from Baja, describing it as fuller yet fresh, with melon, jalapeño, orange and saline notes. Her recommendation also points to Mexican wine as a category she believes consumers overlook.
Other picks challenge the dominance of famous Sauvignon Blanc names through regional alternatives. Andrey Ivanov, beverage director at Nisei in San Francisco, points to Hannes Sabathi from Styria, Austria, citing the region’s high-elevation vineyards and the wine’s aromatic character and minerality. Brianna Ellis of Tannin Bar in Park City recommends Quincy in the Loire Valley, which she says offers citrus, minerality and freshness comparable to qualities associated with more prominent Loire appellations.
Several respondents favor specific bottles from familiar regions. Thomas Price, a master sommelier at 1856 – Culinary Residence, names Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Blanc, noting that its blend includes 25 percent Chardonnay. Bodhi Landa recommends Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre, while Owen Perry names Pepper Bridge Winery Sauvignon Blanc from the Pacific Northwest. Cornelia Duchessa of BRASS recommends Paul Clüver Sauvignon Blanc 2025 from Elgin, South Africa, describing citrus, gooseberry, passion fruit and herbal notes. The source also lists Domaine Pellé Menetou-Salon Morogues Les Blanchais 2023 and Domaine Durand Sancerre among the selections; the supplied report excerpt cuts off before giving the final respondent’s full comments.
More Options Beyond Famous Labels
The roundup matters as a practical guide for shoppers and restaurant wine lists: it directs attention to lesser-known producers and appellations across multiple countries, rather than treating Sauvignon Blanc as a choice between only Marlborough and Sancerre. The recommendations also show that the grape can be presented in varied ways, from the tropical, aromatic profiles mentioned by some sommeliers to the mineral, citrus-driven styles highlighted by others.
For readers, the value is in getting specific names to explore and professional reasoning behind each pick. The article does not establish that the wines are objectively better value, more available or more overlooked in measurable terms. Those judgments depend on each sommelier’s experience and market, and the report does not publish a shared scoring method or consumer data.
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Why Sommeliers Look Beyond Sancerre
VinePair frames Sauvignon Blanc as a widely sold grape with substantial shelf space devoted to prominent names, particularly Marlborough, New Zealand, and Sancerre, France. Its survey asks professionals to identify bottles they feel receive less attention than they merit. The question is about recognition and discovery, not a claim that the best-known regions produce inferior wine.
The responses also reflect different kinds of recommendations: some are for a particular producer or vintage, while others make a broader case for a region. For example, Ivanov discusses Styria and its STK producers before suggesting Hannes Sabathi, while Ellis emphasizes the Quincy appellation as a whole. That distinction matters when readers try to find the wines: a regional endorsement does not guarantee every bottle from that place will taste the same.
““People tend to overlook wine from Mexico, which is a real shame!””
— Jill Weber, owner of Jet Wine Bar in Philadelphia
How ‘Underrated’ Was Determined
Underrated is the sommeliers’ assessment, and the source does not explain a common definition, provide a ranking or report blind-tasting results. It also gives no sales figures, consumer-recognition data, prices or availability information to establish how widely each bottle is known or how easy it is to buy.
The supplied source text ends partway through the final sommelier’s response, after naming Domaine Pellé Menetou-Salon Morogues Les Blanchais 2023 and Domaine Durand Sancerre in its list. The full explanation for those recommendations is therefore not available in the material provided here. Vintage and bottling details may also vary by market and release.
Finding the Recommended Bottles
The roundup does not announce a follow-up tasting, new release or scheduled industry event. Readers interested in a recommendation can check with local wine shops or restaurant wine teams for current availability, asking for the producer, appellation and vintage when those details are specified. A bottle may not be stocked in every market, and the source does not confirm distribution for each selection.
For comparing the recommendations, readers can use the stated tasting descriptions as starting points rather than guarantees: the sommeliers describe citrus, tropical fruit, herbs, saline character, texture and minerality across the selections. The source provides no single next milestone for the survey; further information would depend on retailers, importers or producers sharing current stock and vintage details.
Key Questions
What does the roundup mean by an underrated Sauvignon Blanc?
It means a bottle or region that a participating sommelier believes deserves more attention. The term is subjective; the report does not define it using sales, recognition or tasting-score data.
Which regions did the sommeliers recommend?
The recommendations include Baja, Styria in Austria, Marlborough, several Loire Valley appellations, the Pacific Northwest and Elgin in South Africa. Some responses name a particular producer, while others focus on a region.
Did the sommeliers rank the wines?
No. VinePair presents individual recommendations, not a numbered ranking or a shared tasting score. The source does not describe a blind tasting.
Which specific bottles are named?
The supplied material names Casa Jipi, Hannes Sabathi, Sandy Cove, Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Blanc, Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre, Pepper Bridge Winery, Paul Clüver Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Domaine Pellé Menetou-Salon Morogues Les Blanchais 2023 and Domaine Durand Sancerre. The excerpt provided does not include the final respondent’s complete explanation.
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