FÁUTOR | Fumé Blanc | 2018
sauvignon blanc

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Today we are going to review a very special wine, one that took the local market and our hearts by storm from day one – Fumé Blanc 2018 by Fáutor Winery. This is a barrel aged, single-varietal sauvignon blanc wine from Filipeni vineyard in the Valul lui Traian region of Moldova, a wine that has been aged for 6 month in oak barriques. Oaked sauvignon blanc wines are mostly referred to as ‘fumé blanc‘ – a term invented by Robert Mondavi in an effort to increase the popularity of sauvignon blanc wines in the United States. Fumé Blanc is a word-game that derives from the famous Pouilly-Fumé appellation and the name of the grape variety that made this small AOC so famous all over the world – sauvignon blanc. Also, fumé (translates as ‘smoky‘ from french) hints at the smoky character of the wine that is imbued by the toasted oak staves of the barrel. That said and without further ado, let’s move on straight to our tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
color: pastel yellow
clarity: clear green shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & elegant
fruit profile: green fruits | citrus fruits
__green fruits: gooseberry | green pear | kiwi | cucumber
__citrus fruits: green grapefruit | lime peel | lemon
fruit character: ripe & overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: floral | herbal | oak | sweet
__floral: acacia blossom
__vegetal: lemongrass | pear leaf | capsicum | meadow | hay
__oak: fresh oakwood | vanilla
__sweet: pear candy
__wood: new / light roast

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: med(+)
tannin: low
__grip: firm
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: round | full

//Taste
fruit profile: green fruits & citrus fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: herbal & oaky
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: velvety & crisp

//Scoring
FÁUTOR | Fumé Blanc | 2018
variety: sauvignon blanc
country: Moldova
region: Valul lui Traian
rating: 93.3

//Conclusion
maturity: in its prime | can age for 1 or 2 years
verdict: great | a must try
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This is definitely a great wine of Moldova and with a total of 93.3 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a fantastic sauvignon blanc wine, one that is right there, at the peak of its form: refreshingly crisp, zingy and extremely appealing. It feels round and supple, with mouth-watering acidity, well integrated alcohol and a fruity-herbal profile on the nose. The wine tastes fresh and zesty, with a velvety finale and some subtle hints of minerality. All in all, this is one of the best sauvignon blanc wines we’ve tasted so far – crisp & mesmerizing, exactly what one would expect from an oaked fumé blanc. What makes this wine truly unique, is that it mixes almost to perfection the different flavour profiles, those of green fruits, citrus fruits and those expressive floral-herbaceous notes in the background.
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