Fumé Blanc is just Mondavi’s way of telling consumers this is a completely dry Sauvignon Blanc. I Block is the oldest planting of Sauvignon Blanc (1945) believed to exist in the New World. This is heady stuff with a vibrant and expressive nose of gooseberry, citrus-lime, lemon zest, white flowers, crushed rock and then tropical-peach aromas as you swirl the wine in the glass. It has such racy acidity in the mouth, and that is matched by profound minerality, freshness of fruit and depth through the finish. An extraordinary wine, but you will have to go the winery to get it.
Medium-deep plum red. Complex nose of raspberries and strawberries with a herbal overtone, liquorice and coffee. Lots of tannins and high alcohol (14.3%) still dominate the fresh red cherry fruit. This needs time in the glass, or decanting. Well-suited to a striploin grilled with Montreal steak spice, and a crusty baguette.
This rich, full-throttle, gold-coloured Chard faced 10 months in American and French oak, so expect loads of toasty coconut and spicy vanilla character. Gushes with ripe fruit flavours of fig, apricot and pineapple. Long, creamy, caramel-flecked finish. Indulge with truffle oil on hot buttered popcorn.
This non-vintage sparkler from the cool Sonoma side of Carneros in California is attractive for its leesy-yeasty, baked bread, pear, roasted almonds and bright lime-apple-citrus notes on the nose. The blend is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay made in the Méthode Champenoise and straddles the line between a zippy, zesty fresh citrus offering on the nose and a warm apple tart, poached pear and toasty vanilla sparkler in the mouth. Not as fresh as some, but still a delicious bubbly with a generous mousse that feels good going down the hatch.
A nose of plum, cherries, cassis, currants, smoky cedar, spice and sandalwood-clove notes. Just lovely on the palate with grit and tannin to match ripe dark and red fruits, mocha-vanilla spices, and a lingering finish. Serve with smoked ribs.
Expert Merlot winemaker Michel Rolland flew from Bordeaux to make this dark ruby, spicy, generously fruity red that develops chocolate notes in the glass. Concentrated and chewy, it shows intensity in the middle palate as well as in the slightly warm finish.
Medium-deep garnet, with a smoky oak nose overlying raisins and cherries. Bursts in the mouth with delicious plum and raisin fruit, but perhaps a bit too much alcohol. Drink over the next couple of years.