One of the best cheap wines of all-time was Benziger’s fume blanc, which appeared in the $10 Hall of Fame in its early years. But the wine hasn’t been around the Dallas area much lately, and a Benziger spokeswoman said it wasn’t being distributed nationally any more.

Fortunately, though, we have the Benziger sauvignon blanc ($15, sample, available at Goody Goody, Whole Foods, Pogo’s). It does everything the fume did (fume is just another way of saying sauvignon blanc), and if it costs $5 more, the wine is mostly worth it. Look for a little lemon on the nose, a big burst of tropical fruit in the middle, and a pleasant mineral finish. This is very well made wine by people who respect winemaking. And, not only does it come with a screwcap, but it is produced using sustainable farming methods (the Farming for Flavors program). The Benzigers, in fact, are among the California pioneers in green winemaking.

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Drink this chilled, and sip it on its own this summer. Given the temperatures this week, the wine was a welcome relief last night. Or pair it with grilled chicken, boiled seafood or almost anything with garlic and parsley.