Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Hogue Fume Blanc 2007

Hogue Fume Blanc 2007
Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (83%), Semillon (17%)
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: June 2009
Purchase Price: $8.99

Our review: Aromas of tropical fruit and peach with hints of spice are presented by this golden straw wine. The fruit flavors are quite crisp on the palate and quickly acquire a somewhat tart citrus character. The finish is long and expressive, though there is little to no evidence of any oak or smokiness commonly found in "fume" blancs.

Our rating: It's been years since we last tasted a fume blanc from this winery, long before we started this blog. Though we didn't take notes at the time, our recollection is the wine was overpowered by an oakiness, and thus we were relunctant to try again. There is no such problem here. In fact, marketed as a fume blanc, some oak character is expected and we detected only the barest hint. This wine is more in the style of a South African sauvignon blanc, a good choice for many dishes but not an outstanding one. At $9 it's a little overpriced; look for it $2-3 less. We rate it on the high side of Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Aromas of grapefruit, peach, guava and grass, along with vanilla and a hint of smokiness. On the palate are varietal flavors of grapefruit, white peach and honeydew melon. The wine is crisp, smoky and round with moderate weight and richness contributed by the semillon added to the blend"

Winery website: Hogue Cellars.

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...