To Kalon I Block Fume Blanc
⏳ Drinking Window
While captivating in its youth, this highly structured and concentrated white wine possesses remarkable aging potential, typically drinking at its peak between 5 to 15 years from the vintage date.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pan-seared sea scallops with lemon-herb butter, roasted herb-stuffed chicken, or artisanal warm goat cheese salads.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the legendary To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, Napa Valley, the Robert Mondavi Winery 'I Block' Fumé Blanc is a monument to American viticulture. Planted in 1945, I Block is widely revered as home to the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines in North America. Robert Mondavi famously coined the term 'Fumé Blanc' in 1968 to redefine the grape's image in California, crafting a dry, complex style inspired by the Pouilly-Fumé of the Loire Valley. The ancient, dry-farmed, deep-rooted vines of I Block produce minuscule yields of intensely concentrated fruit. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is barrel-fermented and aged in French oak barrels with regular lees stirring, yielding a wine of extraordinary texture, mineral depth, and vibrant acidity, far removed from standard New World expressions.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1966 by visionary vintner Robert Mondavi, Robert Mondavi Winery was established in Oakville with the singular mission of creating Napa Valley wines that could rival the finest estates in the world. Operating from its iconic California Mission-style winery designed by Cliff May, the estate played a pivotal role in pioneering the modern American wine industry, particularly through its stewardship of the historic To Kalon Vineyard. Mondavi championed cutting-edge viticultural techniques, temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation, French oak barrel aging, and popularized dry-fermented Sauvignon Blanc under the moniker Fumé Blanc. Today, the winery remains globally celebrated for its benchmark Reserve and Oakville Cabernet Sauvignons, as well as its structured, elegant Chardonnays and expressive Bordeaux-style blends.