Comparison
Bacchus vs Sauvignon Blanc
How Bacchus and Sauvignon Blanc differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Bacchus has more floral character; Bacchus has more sweetness; Sauvignon Blanc has more acidity.
Choose
Sauvignon Blanc
Choose Sauvignon Blanc if you want something fresher and more acidic, fuller and richer, more aromatic.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Floral character
Clear differenceBlossom, rose, violet, elderflower, acacia and related aromatic notes.
Bacchus is more floral: medium-plus against low-medium.
Sweetness
Clear differencePerceived sugar in the finished wine, driven mainly by residual sugar but modified by acidity, alcohol and fruit ripeness.
Bacchus is sweeter: low-medium against low.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Sauvignon Blanc is fresher and more acidic: high against medium-plus.
Body
Clear differenceThe overall weight and viscosity of the wine in the mouth — a composite of alcohol, sugar, extract and glycerol.
Sauvignon Blanc is fuller and richer: medium against low-medium.
Aromatic intensity
Clear differenceHow strongly the wine smells before it is tasted. Some grapes are intrinsically aromatic; others express mainly on the palate.
Sauvignon Blanc is more aromatic: high against medium-plus.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Tannin: Similar — both low.
- Alcohol: Similar — both medium.
- Fruit intensity: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Oak influence: Similar — both low-medium.
- Savoury character: Similar — both low-medium.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Bacchus | Sauvignon Blanc |
|---|---|---|
| Floral character | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Sweetness | typically low-medium, ranging from low to low-medium (2/5) | typically low, ranging from low to low-medium (1/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Body | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Tannin | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Oak influence | typically low-medium, ranging from low to low-medium (2/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Savoury character | low-medium (2/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Herbal / green character | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Spice | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Serve at | 9–12°C | 9–12°C |
| Typical flavours | elderflower, nettle, grapefruit, gooseberry, green apple | gooseberry, grapefruit, passionfruit, cut grass, green bell pepper |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Grape
Bacchus
England’s most distinctive still white variety: aromatic, hedgerow-scented and often compared to Sauvignon Blanc.
Grape
Sauvignon Blanc
A pungently aromatic variety whose character swings from flinty and restrained in the Loire to explosively tropical in Marlborough.
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