Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc / Sauvignon Blanc

By Scott W Clemens

Sauvignon Blanc, a.k.a. Fumé Blanc, comes in a variety of styles, from its original Loire Valley incarnation stressing the crisp acidity and minerality inherent in the grape, to New World versions that emphasize the grassy character, or lush melon or tart gooseberry fruit. Some versions derive their flavors from oak ageing, while most are fermented in stainless steel to let the grape speak for itself. Some are bone dry and some have a touch of residual sugar. With all of the variations, there’s sure to be a style that pleases your palate. Whatever the style, Sauvignon Blanc is a food-friendly wine and also serves the role as aperitif.

Dry Creek Vineyard recently released three different versions of the wine, which is both an interesting exercise in winemaking, and a pleasant intellectual and sensual exploration for the consumer.

2006, Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Estate Fumé Blanc DCV3
 $25, 88 points
Of the three, this is the most austere. It's a Loire Valley style of wine, dry as a bone, lean with lime and mineral character. It's a great palate cleanser and a quintessential shellfish wine (particularly with raw oysters). Only 497 cases produced.

2006, Dry Creek Vineyard, Taylor's Vineyard Musqué, Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc
$25, 90 points
A more subtle expression of the fruit, the musqué clone displays muted melon, a hint of passion fruit, and a sprinkling of nutmeg, all wrapped in crisp acidity. This is more in the style of the Loire, though with less minerality than the DCV3. Only 539 cases produced

2007, Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma County, Fumé Blanc / Sauvignon Blanc
 $14.50, 95 points
Dry Creek's "regular" FB/SB is a testament to the art of winegrowing -- it's all in the grape. And it's a testament to the mature winemaking -- it's so perfectly balanced and elegant in structure (refreshing, crisp without being sharp), and so emphatically varietal, yet subtle in its complex fusion of melon rind, lime, grapefruit and dry grassy flavors that you're left entirely satisfied. Wine collectors will overlook this gem, but it's the epitome of the term "poor man's Chardonnay." At just $14.50 a bottle, I'd advise you to lay in a case. Widely available, as 29,908 cases were produced.