Sauvignon plonk

Pity the poor sauvignon blanc. It isn't considered a noble grape variety and no wine made from it ever sells for very much. Among white varietals, the serious money is reserved for chardonnay, riesling, and maybe chenin blanc - all grapes with a demonstrated capacity for greatness.

Nonetheless, when the time comes for a little sip of something bright and refreshing, sauvignon blanc is often what people call for - and Lord knows there's plenty out there to choose from. For an upcoming Plonk of the Month column, we tasted a passle of 'em at $12 or under (a few of them gather on our kitchen countertop, above). We'll be reporting out the best of the best - or at least our idea of the best - in the Food pages on July 30.

Meanwhile, we'd be interested to hear what you look for in one of these wines. Let us know by clicking on the comment link at the top of this post.