It is certainly a grape variety of French origin, which most likely started its journey around the world from the Loire and is now one of the world's top ten in terms of plantings. Indeed, the proportion of plantings has increased steadily over the last five years, with the variety found in all major wine-producing countries. Its name most likely comes from the French sauvage, meaning wild. It is a relatively early-ripening, high-yielding variety, thus making canopy management and choice of rootstock important.
In Hungary, it has been listed in the national variety catalogue since the early 1980s. There are is also plenty of so-called "fake" Sauvignon Blanc wines around the world, which simply means it has been mixed with other varieties, such as Sauvignonasse. Cabernet Sauvignon was created as the result of a natural crossing between Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc, and the two "Sauvignons" are often considered to have similar aromatics.
Outside France, the variety can be found almost everywhere in Europe. Even those traditional wine-producing countries such as Spain and Italy, which have plenty of native varieties of their own, are also taking it seriously. It has also adapted well in the New World, finding its new home in New Zealand from the 1970s, while Fumé Blanc, an oak-aged style of wine has become fashionable in California. It was widespread in Austria in the 19th century under the name Muskat Silvaner, but it is no longer permitted to use this name.
In Hungary, Sauvignon Blanc is cultivated on just over 1,000 hectares. It is statistically referred to as only "Sauvignon", although there are other colour mutations. It is proportionately important in the Etyek-Buda, Mór and Neszmély wine districts, while the largest quantities are found in the Mátra and Etyek-Buda wine districts. It prefers cooler climatic conditions and calcareous soils, so thrives in the Upper Pannon region, and especially in Etyek.
Its aromatics are extremely rich, expressive and easily understandable. Its grapes contain methoxypyrazine and thiols which result in flavours of green pepper and tropical fruit, the quantities of which depend on ripeness. Wines are usually fresh with thirst-quenching fruitiness, while Hungarian versions are generally crisp and herbal with medium body and alcohol and fresh acidity. The combination of elderflower, gooseberry, nettle and grassy notes together with tropical fruit, guava and passion fruit is rarely found in Hungary.