Category Archives: Viognier

Heartland Viognier Pinot Gris 2006

Heartland, South Australia, Viognier, Pinot Gris 2006 The nose features fresh peaches, candied tropical fruits and spicy flowers. On the palate this wine is quite broad, lowish in acidity, conveying a richness yet emphasizing the vineyard over the winemaking. The … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Langhorne Creek, Pinot Gris and Grigio, South Australia, Viognier | Tagged | 1 Comment

Cline Sonoma Coast Viognier 2008

Cline, Sonoma Coast, Estate Grown, Viognier 2008 The peachy character of Viognier expresses itself in the nose. In the mouth you’ll find more of the same, with some palpable acidity and a little touch of creaminess – nice. Knowing how … Continue reading

Posted in California, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, Viognier | Tagged | 1 Comment

Calera Viognier 2008

Calera, Mt. Harlan, Viognier 2008 The smell of this wine is rather entrancing. There’s the peachy fruit associated with Viognier, a nice sense of sweet flowers and enriching notes like vanilla and brown spices. In the mouth it is warm … Continue reading

Posted in California, Mt. Harlan, San Benito County, Viognier | Tagged | 1 Comment

Long Gamma Sonoma County White 2009

Long Gamma, Sonoma County, White Wine 2009 The nose explodes with sweetness, like a fruit basket laid inside a bouquet of flowers. In the mouth it is dry but not austere, smooth and ebulliently fruity – nice. The grapes behind … Continue reading

Posted in California, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, Viognier | Tagged | 1 Comment

Innocent Bystander Shiraz-Viognier 2006

Innocent Bystander, Victoria, Shiraz-Viognier 2006 It’s very neat how you get the ripeness of Shiraz, the black fruits that we love, with the cooler climate marker of black pepper, all in one bottle. This is a great walk down the … Continue reading

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d’Arenberg Hermit Crab 2008

d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, The Hermit Crab 2008 The nose features a combo of the herbaceousness that we can find with Marsanne and the overt peaches that we often see with Viognier. The mouth shows us an oily richness overtop of … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Marsanne, McLaren Vale, Rhone Blend, South Australia, Viognier | 2 Comments

LangeTwins Viognier 2008

We visited with Joe Lange at the winery during the summer and he took us through their most state-of-the-art facility. We learned about the tremendous commitment the Lange family has made to sustainability.  And on top of that, they’re making … Continue reading

Posted in California, Clarksburg, Viognier | Leave a comment

Triennes Viognier 2007

Domaine de Triennes, Vin de Pays du Var, Sainte Fleur, Viognier 2007 This wine sings the Viognier song as if from the New World. The nose features fresh flowers and fruits and quite a perfume. In the mouth this freshness … Continue reading

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Graff Viognier

Graff Family Vineyards, Chalone, Viognier 2007 Smelling the glass is like getting close to a bottle of perfume – very pretty and enticing. There’s loads of peaches in this wine with a sense of acidity in the background making this … Continue reading

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Sobon Viognier 2008

Sobon Estate, Amador County, Viognier 2008 The tropical notes are such that this wine reminds me of the banana popsicles that I enjoyed as a boy. There’s also a layer of richness as well, making this wine slippery smooth. Besides … Continue reading

Posted in Amador County, California, Sierra Foothills, Viognier | Leave a comment

Zaca Mesa Viognier 2008

Zaca Mesa, Santa Ynez Valley, Estate Grown and Bottled, Viognier 2008 This wine is very peachy and sweet appearing, slippery and rich. Fermentation began in stainless and then the wine spent 3 mos in neutral fr oak; malolactic was avoided. … Continue reading

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Cline Carneros Viognier 2007

Cline, Los Carneros, Viognier 2007 This is beautifully aromatic, very floral and clean. In the mouth there is a fatness to the feel, lowish in acidity with the taste of peaches and a bit of the bitterness that you might … Continue reading

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Copain Viogner 2007

Copain, Mendocino County, ‘Tous Ensemble’, Viognier 2007 It’s a pleasure to find a tasty Viognier under 14% and this one delivers with the classic peaches and flowers – fresh and delicious. P&B in Healdsburg 13.7% $17.99 at Traverso’s Copain Wines

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California Viognier

This flight provides an interesting contrast in California Viognier. Both are well-made but different animals entirely. The Preston is lighter, fresher, with aromatics that might remind one of a dry California Gewurztraminer. The Cold Heaven is rich, thick and buttery, … Continue reading

Posted in California, Dry Creek Valley, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, Sonoma County, Viognier | Leave a comment

Ogier Viognier 2006

Michel & Stéphane Ogier, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, Vigonier de Rosine 2006 You would swear this wine is from the New World when you stick your nose in the glass. The peachy fruit is just so vibrant. In … Continue reading

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Chapoutier Les Coufis de Paille de l’Ardeche 2001

M. Chapoutier, Vin de Table de France, Doux, Les Coufis de Paille de l’Ardeche 2001 This wine is deeply golden, picking up hues of amber and a touch of khaki. The nose is a complex mix of orange and spice, … Continue reading

Posted in France, Rhône, Viognier, White Dessert | Leave a comment

Rhone Rangers Seminar 11/08

The Rhone Rangers hosted a seminar yesterday featuring wines that pay homage to the grapes made famous in France’s Rhone Valley. The seminar was not bound by geography; there were wines from both sides of the Atlantic. The seminar was … Continue reading

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes du Rhone, Dry Creek Valley, Grenache, Lake County, Marsanne, Mendocino County, Mourvedre, Napa Valley, Rhone Blend, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, Syrah, Viognier | 3 Comments

Rosenblum Late Harvest Viognier

Rosenblum Cellars, Lodi, Ripkin Ranch, Late Harvest Viognier, Lot 34 This is peaches in a glass with a thick mouthfeel, a little heat and the low acidity that often marks Viognier. The fruit was botritised and harvested at 36 brix. … Continue reading

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Zaca Mesa Santa Ynez Valley Viognier 2007

Zaca Mesa, Santa Ynez Valley, Estate Grown and Bottled, Viognier 2007 This wine is peaches on steroids all the way through with a rich, very viscous mouthfeel that emphasizes fruit rather than oak or butter, as is seen in some … Continue reading

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Ever fashionable, it begins with a V

Domaine de Triennes, Vin de Pays du Var, Sainte Fleur, Viognier 2006 The ’05 was a bit alcoholic, though that is often tolerated in Viognier. This bottle, the ’06 has some sense of that in the mouth but more than … Continue reading

Posted in France, Provence, Var, Viognier | Leave a comment

Darling grape

Bonterra 73% Mendocino 27% Lake Counties Viognier 2006 This has been a consistently fresh, aromatic wine across the vintages. The flowers and peaches are in full bloom followed by a lowish-acid fresh mouthfeel. All certified organically grown grapes from a … Continue reading

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The Refreshing Side of the McLaren Vale

Yangarra McLaren Vale Single Vineyard Roussanne 2007 Pretty floral notes with bits of herbs. The mouth is full of citrus with a light body and some refreshing acidity. V&B in McLaren Vale 13% import sample Yangarra McLaren Vale Single Vineyard … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Grenache, Marsanne, McLaren Vale, Rhone Blend, Rosé, Roussanne, Syrah, Viognier | Leave a comment

Viognier in Eden

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2005 Aged in neutral French oak. Produced in Angaston 14.5% $12.99 at Bottle Barn Yalumba

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Rhone Whites

Verget du Sud Vin de Pays du Vaucluse Roussanne 2006 Jean-Marie Guffens’ impressive work with the grapes of Burgundy continues with grapes sourced further south, in this case from the Vaucluse, a department on the east side of the river … Continue reading

Posted in California, France, Rhône, Roussanne, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, Viognier | Leave a comment