What is Fumé Blanc?

Just because the bottle doesn’t specify “Sauvignon Blanc,” don’t be thrown off. The term Fumé Blanc was coined by Robert Mondavi in 1968 as a marketing strategy to give some foreign allure to the then-unpopular white grape. Today, this wine style is lost in a sea of diverse examples, some oaked others not, causing quite a bit of confusion among consumers.

Dry Creek Vineyard’s Fumé Blanc ($12), an understated and crisp white with beautiful acidity that lingers, has long been a benchmark in indigenous California-style Sauvignon Blancs.

Bravo for Dry Creek for upholding the legacy of their Fumé Blanc and sticking with this old-fashioned name.