To Kalon Vineyard Fume Blanc Reserve
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed within 3 to 10 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Herb-roasted chicken, grilled sea bass with lemon-butter sauce, or artisanal goat cheese.
✨ Technical Specifications
In 1968, Robert Mondavi revolutionized California Sauvignon Blanc by dry-fermenting the grape and aging it in French oak, naming the dry style 'Fumé Blanc' in a nod to Pouilly-Fumé. The fruit for this Reserve bottling is sourced from the legendary To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, Napa Valley—originally planted in 1868 by pioneer H.W. Crabb, who named it after the Greek phrase for 'the highest beauty.' Crafted primarily from Sauvignon Blanc and often blended with a small portion of Sémillon, this wine is fermented and aged sur lie in French oak barrels with regular lees stirring. This technique imparts a rich, creamy texture and complex layers of lemon curd, white peach, and flinty minerality, balancing the grape's natural vibrant acidity with the historic vineyard's signature opulence.
🍾 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.