I tried this wine a few months ago back when it was first released, it was nice, but not $24.95 nice … now, 5 months later, it is finally coming into its own and the 24.95 price tag seems like more of a deal. Fume Blanc is Sauvignon Blanc that has seen the inside of a barrel, in this case, 7 months in one-year-old used French oak, of which 3 of those months were on the lees (dead yeast cells – lees sounds so much better doesn’t it?). The nose is vanilla with a touch of citrus and asparagus, but it’s on the palate where this wine really shines. A bit grassy at first but then there is lots of butterscotch, apple, pears and other friendly fruit flavours. Give it another 5 months and that 24.95 will seem like a steal, and then we’ll be into spring and that’ll be the perfect time to pop the cork.