The Academy of Wine

In 1966 Robert Mondavi was already making wine at his new winery. While he mainly focused on making top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Johannisberg Riesling, he made other wines that surprised him. One day he received a crop of Sauvignon Blanc grapes from one of his growers. At the time, much of this varietal made in America was poor in quality, slightly sweet, and lacking in texture and nuance. As a result it did not have the best reputation, so Mr. Mondavi puzzled with what to do with it. He knew that in the Loire Valley, in Sancerre and Pouilly, the French were producing delightful rich dry white wines from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. The old name of Pouilly Fumé was Blanc Fumé, meaning “smoked white,” because these wines were grown on predominantly limestone soils containing flint (silex). They supposedly exhibited a “smoky” flavor, or whiff of gunflint.

So Mr. Mondavi decided to reinvent Sauvignon Blanc and turned it into a success in America. He took that crop of Sauvignon Blanc, fermented it cold and aged it in French oak barrels to produce a wine that was light and refined, yet had plenty of character and charm. Talking about its first vintage Mr. Mondavi mentioned barrel aging the wine but he didn’t mention barrel fermenting. According to Rich Arnold, who makes Fume Blanc at Robert Mondavi Winery today, there is no record of barrel fermentation with the first vintage or when Mr. Mondavi began this practice. He chose a new name for his wine, a twist on the name Blanc Fumé, Americanizing it by calling it “Fumé Blanc.” The first release in 1968 was received with great enthusiasm. Mr. Mondavi didn’t trademark the name “Fume Blanc,” because of the immediate acceptance of the wine. At this time other winemakers had already produced their own versions of Fume Blanc.

Mr. Mondavi wanted to create a Sauvignon Blanc that reflected Napa Valley, and he was able to produce a richer style, with the brightness of Sauvignon Blanc. He never tried to imitate the styles of Bordeaux or the Loire Valley.

Forty years have past, and other wineries have adopted the name “Fume Blanc.” Today, in California, the names “Sauvignon Blanc” and “Fume Blanc” have become synonymous. A few people believe “Fume Blanc” means the wine is smoky because of oak, but this is not necessarily the case as some Fume Blancs are unoaked. Comparing Fume Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc to Sancerre or Bordeaux is erroneous. Fume Blanc is the symbol of the story of innovation.