In 1968, Robert Mondavi released a barrel-aged Fumé Blanc (his take on the Loire Valley's Pouilly Fumé) and with it delivered a swift
coup de grâce to a directionless and faltering Napa wine industry. A wine industry stuck in the oeno-doldrums; old-timers still growing grape varieties such as Golden Chasselas and Alicante Bouschet; producing more kosher and jug-wines than premium table wines. Wine production and promotion in the Napa Valley would never be the same again - indeed, the Napa Valley itself would never be the same again. Mondavi was a marketing genius and the driving force behind making the Napa Valley a recognised brand around the world. But all things must change, since 2004 Robert Mondavi's eponymously named winery has been owned by Constellation Brands. Constellation is a multinational corporation with a gigantic portfolio of premium wines and the Robert Mondavi Winery is just one of their brands, albeit with great brand-name recognition.
On the nose, the 2011, Napa Valley Fumé Blanc was a real winner with a spicy-lime, kumquat and lychee
thang going on, unfortunately, the taste was a bit of a disappointment. For me, this wine was just a little blah, not bad, it just didn't live up to the fruitiness my schnoz had experienced. However, it did pair well with the tilapia I was having for dinner. And I got it for free.
