Fumin

Fumin is a red grape of the Aosta Valley in northwestern Italy, part of a small Alpine wine tradition that is easy to miss beside the country's more famous regions. It has long been used in local blends, while varietal bottlings give a clearer view of its individual character. This is a grape to seek through specialist growers rather than a supermarket category.

A Fumin can offer more structure than the image of a light mountain red might suggest. That makes the producer's description important: extraction and maturation can move the wine towards a firm dinner style. A regional blend will reflect its other grapes as well, so it should not automatically be used as the complete definition of Fumin itself.

For a dry varietal example, choose a meal with enough savoury substance to meet the wine, such as roast meat, mushrooms or a mature cheese. Allow a young structured bottle some air and keep it cooler than a warm room. Ask the merchant about its tannin rather than assuming that an Alpine origin guarantees a delicate texture.