Fume Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc (so-veen-yoh blahn) are different names for wines that come from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. The latter is the more classic, while the former is a marketing innovation developed by Robert Mondavi at his Napa Valley winery. The famous Napa Valley vintner invented the name 35 years ago and all California has claimed it as their own.

Worldwide, there are about 175,000 acres of the Sauvignon Blanc grape, with France far and away the leader with 42,000 acres, mostly in the Loire and Bordeaux wine regions, and some new vineyards in the Languedoc-Roussillon area. California comes in fifth with 13,000 acres.

The name Sauvignon - sauvage in French - means wild. It is an apt name. First, it attacks the palate with a higher than usual acidity, which makes it a great aperitif - the first wine of the meal. Second, when it grows in colder climes of the world, it can yield very vegetal flavors. However, in California's warmer climates it usually shows more of its fruity side, reminding many of melons or quince.

Colors range from light straw to yellow-gold. Most California wineries offer a Sauvignon Blanc or Fume Blanc in their line. As in Bordeaux, it is often blended with Semillon and aged in small oak barrels. Pair with light- to medium-bodied fish, seafood, poultry and fresh goat cheeses.

The South Central Coast, directly above Los Angeles, includes the famed Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Long a "secret supply source" to the more famous Napa and Sonoma wineries, the Central Coast is becoming more of a destination for wine-savvy consumers.

A home to unknown grapes. It's great to discover "cutting edge" wineries that are making new and exciting wines. You'll find the state's largest plantings of Rhone varietal grapes - notably Syrah and Viognier, but also Grenache and Mourvèdre. Equally as important are the large plantings of Italian grapes: Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Bianco.

Coastal secrets. The secret to understanding wines from the Central Coast is "hang time" - the time the grapes flower until harvest. It rarely rains in the Central Coast until December. Consequently, those grapes can mature over a longer time period. The result is an unusually strong intensity of supple flavors in the Central Coast wines.

A must-see is the famous Hearst Castle at San Simeon. It features over a hundred rooms, gardens, art and sculpture. There are five separate tours!

Other atractions. In June, Paso Robles has an air show and Pismo Beach has a street rod car show. July brings forth fireworks everywhere along with a Mozart festival and a Renaissance fair in San Luis Obispo. Later in August there is the mid-state fair in Paso Robles and a "cruiser" car show in Atascadero.

Recommended Lodging
Casa del Mar Inn 800-433-3097
Santa Barbara

Ascot Inn 800-887-6454
Morro Bay

Ann & George's Bed and Breakfast at
Voladores Vineyard 805-423-2760
Paso Robles

Recommended Dining
Sea Cliffs
805-773-3555
Pismo Beach

Big Sky Cafe 805-545-5401
San Luis Obispo

When pairing food and wine, the goal is synergy and balance. The wine shouldn't overpower the food, nor should the food overpower the wine. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you enjoy wine with a meal:

1. If you are taking wine as a gift to a dinner party, don't worry about matching the wine to the food. Just bring a good wine.

2. When you're serving more than one wine at a meal, serve lighter wines before full-bodied ones. Dry wines should be served before sweet wines.

3. Balance flavor intensity. Pair light-bodied wines with lighter food and fuller-bodied wines with heartier dishes.

4. Consider how the food is prepared. Delicately flavored foods — poached or steamed — pair best with delicate wines. It's easier to pair wines with more flavorfully prepared food: Match the wine with the sauce.

5. Pair wine and cheese. In some European countries the best wine is reserved for the cheese course. Goat cheeses pair well with dry white wine, while milder cheeses pair best with fruiter red wine. Soft cheeses like Camembert and Brie pair well with just about any red wine including Cabernet, Zinfandel and Red Burgundy.

In the heart of Provence, in the sunny Côtes du Rhone, lies the Domaine du Vieux Chene winery. It's located between Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine, not far from Chateauneuf du Pape and the celebrated town of Avignon. The region is filled with heritage dating from Roman and Medieval times.

The Domaine du Vieux Chene winery is perfectly situated on typical Côtes du Rhone soils. Its vineyards spread out on a slightly sloped and very rocky plateau. This location offers the wines the benefit of an especially high yearly level of sunshine.

Jean Claude Bouche, oenologist, took over the Domaine du Vieux Chene winery in 1978. He brought to it skills inherited from several generations of winemakers.

Jean Claude and his wife Beatrice are passionate about making wine. Together they manage their vineyards using organic farming methods and creating organic wines of great character.

The fields are plowed regularly to air out the earth and stimulate macrobiotic life. During hot summer months, the vines' roots descend deeply to soak up important moist nutrients. Because it heats quickly, the surface of the rocky soil offers ideal conditions for a perfect ripening of the grapes.

Mme. Bouche is one of the great regional cooks of the area and loves to serve up a lavish lunch for her good customers. If you are ever in the area, Beatrice and Jean Claude invite you to discover their different wines, each representative of the vineyards of Domaine du Vieux Chene.

Located in Southeastern France, Provence is a land of sloping vineyards and colorful scenery. It has attracted famous artists like Cezanne and Van Gogh, who have immortalized it in their paintings. Provence has also been written about by many authors who have fallen in love with the area.

You don't need to know a lot of jargon to enjoy wine. But wine does have its own distinct language. If you want to begin learning the language of wine, it's a good idea to master some important terms. Here are some words that experts often use when talking about wine. Look for these characteristics in the wines you're tasting.

Acidity
Describes how tart or sour a wine tastes. The right amount of acidity preserves a wine's freshness.

Body
The weight and fullness of a wine. A full-bodied wine fills the mouth.

Balance
The harmonious combination of wine elements, with no characteristic being too dominant.

Complexity
Determined by the number of different flavor elements and undertones a wine has.

Tannin
Denotes flavors of leather and tea in a young wine. It gives a wine its firmness and gradually fades away as a wine ages.

Finish
The aftertaste or flavor that lingers in your mouth after the wine is swallowed. A long aftertaste indicates a good quality wine.

Wine Insiders founder John Davis spent his formative years at the University of Illinois, where he was the president of his college fraternity and the 1957 National Collegiate Gymnastic Champion. After graduating with a degree in economics and finance, John spent four month touring Europe, which led to his lifelong love of wine.

By 1965, Davis had opened Geja's Café (gejascafe.com), the country's premier fondue restaurant known for its extensive and fairly priced wine list. He also created Chicago's first wine bar and established the Wine Society, one of the nation's original tasting groups. In 1974 John founded Geja's Annual Amateur and Professional Wine Tasting Contest, the oldest event of its kind.

His success with Geja's popular wine offerings led him to found A Taste of California in 1982. One of the nation's first monthly wine clubs, the business grew quickly and eventually became Wine Insiders, bringing wines from around the world to more than 50,000 members in 30 states.

Among his other accomplishments, John was one of the organizers of the Midwest International Wine Exposition, which brings vintners and winery owners from around the world to Chicago. In 1993 his peers voted him the "Wine Educator of the Year."

Today John travels to the vineyards and wineries around the globe to find the best wine values for his Wine Insiders clients. An opponent of snobbery, he believes that wine should be fairly priced "so as not to leave one with a financial hangover."

Sole is a delicate, mild-flavored fish, and this baked version is quick to prepare. Using olive oil makes it good for the heart, and it is equally good for the soul, since it goes so well with Sauvignon Blanc. Serve rice pilaf with greens to complete the meal. End with a sweet-tart lemon pie. You may also substitute flounder or tilapia for the sole.

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION
Rinse fish fillets; pat dry with paper toweling. Arrange in lightly oiled baking pan. Heat olive oil and butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Sautée garlic and green onions, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat. In glass measuring cup, combine wine, lime juice, lime zest, dill, salt and pepper; stir into garlic-onion mixture in skillet and combine well; pour sauce over fish. Place fish on middle rack of preheated 400°F oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes, until fish begins to flake. Place under broiler to lightly brown the top, about 1 minute. Serve immediately on hot platter. Spoon sauce onto each serving. Preparation time: 10 - 15 minutes. Cooking time: 10 minutes. Makes 5-6 servings.

Try the recipe with Mount St. Helena Sauvignon Blanc.