Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc 2013 Napa Valley, California, USA 75cl

Robert Mondavi built one of Napa’s most influential wineries in Oakville, and Fumé Blanc has been part of the story from the very start. In 1968 Mondavi coined the name for Sauvignon Blanc, borrowing from the Loire’s Pouilly-Fumé, and chose to treat the grape with a seriousness usually reserved for Chardonnay. The label has been a California benchmark ever since and remains one of the winery’s most recognisable wines.

This Napa Valley bottling is built mainly on Sauvignon Blanc with a small share of Semillon for roundness, and only fruit from the Napa Valley goes into the blend. Careful handling, including some barrel work, softens the grape’s sharper edges and adds the gentle smoky, textural quality that gives the wine its name. The result has more depth than a lean, grassy Sauvignon.

2013 was a warm, dry and generous year across Napa Valley, one growers remember fondly for even ripening and healthy fruit. That balance shows here in ripe citrus and orchard fruit held together by fresh acidity.

Expect aromas of lemon, grapefruit and cut herbs, with a subtle smoky note and a hint of vanilla from oak. The palate is dry and medium-bodied, its citrus and stone-fruit flavours carried by lively acidity to a clean, savoury finish. Serve well chilled.

If you enjoy a fuller, more textured take on Sauvignon Blanc rather than a sharp, herbaceous one, this is a natural choice. It pairs happily with grilled fish, roast chicken, goat’s cheese and herb-driven dishes, and works equally well as a confident aperitif.