WINES
OF
THE WEEK

By Chuck Hill

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Wines of the Week
Originally Published July 12, 2009

Viognier with Veggie Cuisine
By Chuck Hill
1st in a Series; See Part 2; See Part 3

Vee-Own-Yay - we'll get the tricky French pronunciation out of the way up front. This white wine from the Rhone hasn't caught on in the mainstream wine world like Chardonnay, Riesling or even Sauvignon Blanc.  It offers aromas and flavors of peaches and apricots with nuances of honey, herbs, vanilla and floral perfume. The palate often has a slightly phenolic finish (light bitterness) due to extra ripe grapes picked to enhance the overall profile of the wine.

We have chosen to pair this tasty varietal with vegetarian cuisine and made some interesting discoveries. Veggie dishes heavy with cheese and cream didn't pair as well as rice or noodle spicy dishes with vegetables. Vegetarian take-out from our local Tasty Thai restaurant included Phad Thai with tofu, spicy Sauteed Eggplant, Vegetables in Red Curry and Steamed Veggies with Peanut Sauce. These were all superb with nearly all of the wines.

Columbia Winery
2007 Viognier
Yakima Valley
$26.00

The fruit for this classic Viognier came from two famed Yakima Valley vineyards: Red Willow  (75%) and Archie DenHoed (25%). The wine was barrel fermented in neutral oak for four months. A runaway favorite with our tasters, the wine offers aromas of pear, tropical fruits and toasty oak, complemented by notes of lime zest and floral perfume. The palate is crisp and delicate with pear and tropical fruit flavors. A versatile accompaniment to any lighter food preparation.

Alexandria Nicole Cellars
2008 Viognier
Crawford Vineyard
$26.00

The very best examples of food-friendly Viognier have impeccable balance and great structure. Jarrod Boyle's bottling from Crawford Vineyard is such a wine showing aromas of peach, vanilla and spicy cedar. The palate is rich with rich fruit flavors of apricot and Asian pear with a clean finish of vanilla and toast.

Chateau Ste. Michelle
2008 Viognier, Limited Release
Columbia Valley
$14.99

The winemakers at Chateau Ste. Michelle changed from crafting a 100% barrel fermented Viognier to one with only 25% barrel fermented. This resulted in a wine with positive attributes of both BF and stainless fermentation. Bright aromas of citrus, tropical fruits and floral perfume lead to a palate rich with mango, citrus and a delightfully frizzante mouthfeel.

Barnard Griffin
2007 Viognier, Reserve
Columbia Valley
$25.00

Rob Griffin's Reserve Series Viognier offers a cornucopia of complex aromas including peach, apricot, spicy pear, ginger and melon. Crisp acidity and a forward medley of rich stone-fruit flavors - combined with a slightly chewy mouthfeel - make this an excellent food wine. Available primarily at the winery.

Treana
2007 Viognier (53%), Marsanne (47%),
Central Coast, CA
$25.00

Blending of Viognier with other Rhone white grapes proves to be a successful technique that should be tried my more wineries. Treana's winemaker Austin Hope fermented 10% of the wine in stainless steel with the remainder barrel fermented in French oak. Look for aromas of citrus blossom, honey and toasty hazelnuts leading to rich flavors of apricot, pear, pineapple and honey. A finish of crisp acidity with notes of toasty oak paired well with all of our Thai veggie offerings.

Dobbes Family Estate
2007 Viognier
Rogue Valley
$19.00

Joe Dobbes crafted this tasty Viognier from grapes grown at Sundown Vineyard in the Rogue Valley. A portion of the harvest was barrel fermented to provide roundness and barrel spice for complexity. Dusty spice, peach, jasmine and citrus are the aromas of the wine. The palate of peach and apricot finishes with notes of Asian pear and a light chewy character that worked well when paired with food.

Desert Wind Vineyard
2008 Viognier
Wahluke Slope
$12.00

This Washington wine was almost entirely tank fermented with no malolactic fermentation. Bright aromas of orange blossom and white peach lead to a medium-bodied palate of stone fruits and hints of vanilla. A very tasty food wine or aperitif.

Valley View Winery
Anna Maria 2007 Viognier
Rogue Valley
$22.00

The original Valley View winery was begun in the Rogue Valley by pioneer Peter Britt in the 1850s. The winery ended with Britt's death in 1906. The Wisnovsky family restored the winery name to the Applegate Valley vineyard in 1972. With over 35 years of winemaking in southern Oregon, Valley View crafts some of the Northwest's finest wines. The Anna Maria Viognier offers aromas of dusty pear, vanilla and white peach. Flavors of peach, melon and spicy grapefruit combine to make this a tasty food wine.

Frick Winery
2007 Viognier, Estate
Dry Creek Valley, Gannon Vineyard
$27.00

Bill Frick and Judith Gannon founded Frick Winery in 1976 with proceeds from selling their 1957 Chevy. They have since established vineyards in the hills overlooking the Dry Creek Valley and have made scores of memorable wines to date. A focus on Rhone varieties produced the Viognier tasted here. Look for a complex nose of fresh melon, honeysuckle, pear, citrus and vanilla. A great food wine, flavors of peach, apple and lemon mingle with notes of vanilla and toasty cedar.

Harbinger
2007 Viognier, Two Coyote Vineyard
Rattlesnake Hills
$25.00

Although the winery is in Port Angeles, this elegant Viognier was crafted from Rattlesnake Hills fruit by winemaker Sara Gagnon. This barrel-fermented beauty offers aromas of ripe pears, pineapple, mango and barrel spice. The palate presents rich pear and vanilla flavors from sur lie aging. Very enjoyable with a wide range of veggie dishes.

K Vintners
2008 Viognier
Columbia Valley
$20.00

Another favorite with our tasters, Charles Smith's Viognier shows aromas of pear, lychee, peachy apricot and floral perfume. The palate is beautifully structured with tangy citrus, pear and a finish of apricot and vanilla. Grab your tofu veggies with peanut sauce and raise your glass to Walla Walla.

Abacela
2008 Viognier, Estate
Umpqua Valley
$21.00

The fruit for this delicious wine came from Abacela's Estate Fault Line Vineyards in the Umpqua Valley AVA near Roseburg. Aromas of peach, grapefruit, pineapple and pear lead to a crisp palate of mineral, apricot and lime. The winery suggests Chicken Cordon Bleu; we tried tofu Cordon Bleu, but it wasn't quite the same!

Toasted Head
2007 Viognier
Dunnigan Hills, CA
$12.00

The Dunnigan Hills AVA is in Yolo County, northwest of Sacramento. Half of this tempting Viognier was fermented in stainless steel with the other half barrel fermented in neutral French oak and aged sur lie for six months. Aromas of peach, nectarine, honeysuckle and honey/vanilla lead to a lip-smacking palate of peach, pineapple, almond and citrus. Very versatile with veggie cuisine, try mushroom ravioli and veggie spring rolls.

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