Wine of the Week: Hogue Fume Blanc Columbia Valley 2007

I bought this wine a while ago at Trader Joe's because I had been reading about Fume Blanc and thought that Hogue's version would be a good bet in the under-$20 range (I think it was about $11). It turns out that I was right - it was a good bet! This pale yellow, almost green in color, slightly effervescent wine was not a bad pick for the price point. The aroma was of stone fruit, peaches in particular, and I also picked up some tropical notes - perhaps papaya or guava. As you might expect, it is a very light-bodied wine, but I was surprised to find that it has a longer finish. Not so surprising, but rather pleasing, was the fact that it features a bit of an acidic tang as well. The predominant flavors that came across to me were of citrus (lemon zest) and tart green pear, with some herbal notes. I will definitely keep this wine in mind for pairing with early summer meals.