You say fumé, I say sauvignon

Sauvignon blanc enjoys wide appeal and wide distribution for good reason. It is one of, if not the most, affordable and food-friendly white wine grapes around today. When referring to fumé or sauvignon blanc, the grapes are one and the same. We have that visionary California winemaking icon, Robert Mondavi, to thank for the liberal usage of the term fumé blanc in the United States as a synonym for sauvignon blanc. In France, historic home to this aromatic and versatile white grape, the Loire Valley produces the varietal in the appellation of Pouilly, the best called Pouilly-Fumé. The wine is also called blanc fumé -- fumé as in smoky -- a flinty, mineral characteristic often found in the wines of the region. Some say the fumé refers to the toasted oak flavors from the barrel aging process, and still others claim the fumé is the fog from a river below the Loire. No matter. In 1968, Mondavi, always the clever marketer, renamed his oak-aged, dry sauvignon blanc "fumé blanc", confusing the whole crowd, and many wineries have followed suit in the succeeding years.

Though the grapes are identical it is worth knowing that the wine itself may not be. While a fumé blanc (and Pouilly-Fumé) will always be made from 100% sauvignon blanc grapes, labels bearing the name of sauvignon blanc are allowed to blend in up to 25% of another grape, usually semillon, and still call themselves a sauvignon blanc.

While it can be found in northeast Italy, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and numerous other regions and states in America, California vintners have made great strides with this grape over recent years. While part of the viticultural landscape since the 1800s, it was only as recently as the 1970s that California winemakers began to focus on making a better bottle of sauvignon blanc. Tragically, they lost their minds for a while and started to treat the grape as if it were chardonnay, trying to tame it, subjecting it to all manner of humiliating and softening malolactic fermentation processes, punishing it by making it sit in dark oak barrels all alone to think about what it had done, being so sassy, brash and petulant. The bracing acids and irresistible vibrancy of this irrepressible grape were muted for a time but those dark days are (for the most part) over. More California producers now see the 100% stainless steel light, praise Bacchus. In previous columns I have promised that you can look for reliable and consistent values from California producers Sterling, Kenwood and Chateau St. Jean, buying with confidence. All turn out the lightly floral, fruit-driven, heavy acid zap SBs that I enjoy the most.

New Zealand has become all the rage in recent years showering the world with super-crisp, tart, high acid sauvignon blancs with a very distinctive style and flavor. In my mouth they are usually very grassy, herbaceous and green citrus fruit-laden. Those in the know find them full of gooseberries, or even "cat's pee on a gooseberry bush." Never having tasted a gooseberry in my life, but having extensive experience with cat pee, I get the idea. The 2004 Fauna Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region in New Zealand ($13) is a perfect representative of this style: thick grass on the nose but a lemon bomb in the mouth. Yellow grapefruit and lime dominate the finish. I found that a very long chilling session in the freezer worked well to counteract the hot perception I get from so much herb, hay and the acidic bite of bitter citrus fruits like grapefruit. The moderate alcohol level of 12.5% is not to blame for the heat in this case; the flavor profile gives the sensation. Even though the 2005 is in release, the 2004 is still supported by a firm acid backbone. Racy and refreshing with far more intricacy than I expected, especially as it opens up in the glass.

Some of us believe that this grape turns out the most food friendly white wine in the universe. (Others of us say riesling. I say bah!) Because it is a dry white wine with very little residual sugar, sauvignon blanc is a highly versatile food wine. It can be enjoyed with a vast range of cuisine and is one of the very best aperitif wines around. While I am all about drinking the wine you love with the food you want to eat, even if that means sauvignon blanc with your pot roast or syrah with your eggs, there is much to praise in the food flexibility of a sauvignon blanc that is left alone in the winemaking process, allowing the bright fruit acids to shine.

Because acidity in both wine and food tend to neutralize each other, a fresh, light-to-medium-bodied sauvignon blanc will taste better and less acidic when paired with highly acid foods like tomatoes, citrus, green vegetables and a vinaigrette-dressed salad. This makes it a great all around choice for many vegetarian dishes, including quiche and risotto. It is one of the few wines that has the character to take on artichokes and asparagus, notoriously hard to match. The grape is perceived as a bit sweeter when in the company of these challengers.

Just as a slice of lemon gives your fish dish the zip it needs, sauvignon blanc is the perfect partner to many seafood dishes. I love a slightly herbaceous SB with pesto pasta dishes and salads, but don't be afraid to try it with heavy cream and cheese sauce recipes like the Alfredos and Carbonaras. The biting acid structure slices right through the heaviness. Ditto with Mexican food. It's a match made in heaven for Thai and Chinese dishes that emphasize fish, pork, poultry and vegetables in curries, coconut milk sauces, garlic, ginger, soy, peanut and lemon-grass.

Some claim that the best cheese to pair with a good sauvignon blanc is goat's milk, but I love it with smoked cheese and gorgonzola. There is not much that a vibrant and tingling sauvignon blanc will not enhance, but as in all of life, perception is everything, and only yours counts.