“You can’t teach an
old dog new tricks.” … From
Fitzherbert's Book of Husbandry in 1534 (language updated). Original author
unknown
The story goes that RobertMondavi wanted to set a particular style of his Sauvignon Blanc apart. The grape itself was suffering from a poor
reputation in the U.S. in the 1960s.
Mondavi, having spent time in France, and tasting wine there, came upon
the idea of naming an oaked style of his Sauvignon Blanc as Fume Blanc from the French word Fume referring to the hint of smoke in
the aroma and taste of Pouilly-Fume wine from that area in the Loire Valley of
France (Pouilly Fume is an AOC and Sauvignon Blanc is grown there). Mondavi did not trademark the name and,
subsequently, Dry Creek Valley Vineyards and other winery/vineyards began using the
term and the rest is history. It became
so because people liked it.
But I was not one of
them. Why oak a Riesling or Chenin Blanc? Why oak anything that by nature’s dictate
should be all about freshness? Everybody
knew that, didn’t they? Why oak
Chardonnay? …….. oops! Maybe it was time
to re-think this. There are meals in
which an oaked Chardonnay, or partially oaked Chardonnay, works better than one
that is 100% fermented and aged in steel. So I vowed to get around to it
“eventually”. In the meantime, I’d keep
my “mind open” while not paying attention.
My mind opened in 2014 when I
tasted the Sauvignon Blanc of another winemaker (in Sonoma) who was gracious
enough to allow me a private tasting during the busy season of October. Famous for its Pinot Noir, this winery had
previously rendered a Fume Blanc for a White House dinner. The wine was very well received and had been
in production since. The winery was
pouring. I was tasting. Why not? And
with just one taste I understood why. I
“got it”. So yes, you can teach an old
dog new tricks.
That happened again a week ago
tasting Mondavi’s “Napa Valley” 2016 Fume Blanc. I “got it” again. What is interesting is that not all
Fume Blanc is necessarily oaked (though, generally, it is safe to assume
so). What is interesting is that it always
gets back to what is in the bottle, because the term “Fume Blanc” is not
legally defined in the United States; it is interchangeable with “Sauvignon
Blanc”. You just have to taste the product and
determine for yourself what suits your palate.
What I enjoyed about Mondavi’s
Fume Blanc (the first in the U.S. to be named so) is its finesse. All wine is manipulated grape juice, but
there is no manipulation for the sake of trends here. In fact, great care and attention to
tradition has been paid into the making of this wine. Grapes are hand-picked in
the cool temperature of early morning.
Whole cluster pressing is used to minimize skin contact, retaining
freshness and aromatics.
Yes, the wine is
different. Some might be tempted to
consider it a different-though-same-wine relationship (like Pinot Gris to Pinot Grigio). The
citrus is apparent and the wine still offers those aromas and taste of grass. But the body is different. Smoke from the oak
char adds complexity. The wine is weightier, creamier and more textured. Not better. Different. But different in a way
that makes it more suitable for pairing with certain foods. That can be especially fun if you cook because
it adds to your repertoire.
The nose offers lemon, a
vegetative hint (grass), grapefruit and orange peel. On the palate is the citrus and minerality (wet
stone) you expect from Sauvignon Blanc, but the wine is rounder, richer and
more melon-like. Lemon takes on
character of lemongrass. The smoke of
the oak’s char adds complexity and the wine becomes weightier. The lemon is there, but as the wine airs and
warms in the glass, lime announces itself though more as lime crème. Other
tasters refer to hints of ripe peach and guava. The “Fume” version is simply
creamier and more textured. Despite
this, there’s a cleansing acidity to this wine – enough to suggest it’s even a
good pairing for oysters on the half shell. And that alone is enough to explain better
than I have that this wine is in excellent balance. The oak, while adding
texture, is handled with finesse. No
element in this wine is obtrusive or excessive.
Instead, each works in harmony with the other elements to make the total
better than its parts.
Not to worry. Mondavi makes
both styles. Mondavi even makes a
“Reserve To Kalon Vineyard” Fume Blanc. But this label (the “Napa Valley”) is
one you can find in almost every wine shop and many grocery stores. And with an average retail price (w/o tax or
shipping) of $18, it’s certainly worth looking for. And speaking of the “To Kalon” vineyard, 39%
of the juice for this wine comes from that hallowed area contributing richness,
weight, age-ability and complexity to the blend, along with floral notes,
tropical fruit and minerality. 59% comes
from Mondavi’s prestigious Wappo Hill (in the Stag’s Leap District) with the fruit
from there contributing the bright citrus and herbal notes along with giving
the wine a lift. The balance of 2% is pure Oakville, making the wine 100% Napa
Valley. Not to be outdone, the blend is
completed as 92% Sauvignon Blanc and 8% Semillon adding another instrument to
the complex symphony.
Another quote, attributed to
Harry Graham, comes from the last line of a poem he wrote and was first
published in 1903. It goes, “It’s never
too late to mend.” He knew too that old
dogs CAN learn new tricks. I have, and now will include this Mondavi Napa
Valley Fume Blanc as a staple in my cellar.
Cheers!
……………….. Jim
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TECH SPECS & ETCETERA
Robert Mondavi Winery
7801 St
Helena Hwy, Oakville, CA 94562
TA: 6.5 g/L
pH: 3.14
RS: 0.40 g/L
The juice is barrel fermented
to add richness and complexity but with only 2% being new French oak. The wine
is aged sur lie (makes for creamy texture) for six months in 60-gallon oak
barrels and hand stirred twice monthly.
Semillon gives the final blend a broader mouthfeel and added complexity.
I served this wine with a
modified version of Chicken Cordon Bleu, cubed and baked Japanese Yam and Purple
Sweet Potatoes along with Asparagus. It
would do nicely with crab cakes (and a mild horseradish sauce), grilled salmon
and scallops, grilled squid with lemon, smoked trout and California rolls or
other sushi. It can also do nicely with
vegetables such as Provincial Tomatoes, grilled Zucchini or Tomatoes – or mini
peppers – stuffed with goat cheese. For
meat, consider Grilled Pork Chops and Chicken in so many styles, it’s
impossible to list.
