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Wines of the Week
Published August 9, 2007
The Magic of Viognier
By Chuck Hill
The first magic
trick you must conquer with Viognier is to wrap your tongue around four
vowels and four consonants to come up with the correct pronunciation:
VEE -own-yay. Once that is accomplished, you are on your way to
great white wine enjoyment... as winemaker Joe Dobbes of Dobbes Family
Estate says, "this is a red wine drinker's white wine!"
Although Viognier
has some common aromatic and flavor similarities with Chardonnay, it is
much more complex and offers greater balance and finesse on the palate.
Some clever wineries have blended Viognier with Chardonnay (Bergevin
Lane and Cougar Crest) to
subtly enhance both varietals and to mitigate the price point of the
(currently) more expensive Viognier grapes.
Viognier seems to
like the climate in the winegrowing regions of the Pacific Northwest and
here we offer versions from all corners of the area.
Bergevin
Lane Vineyards
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2006 Viognier
Columbia Valley
$25.00
This delicious wine is blended with 11% Roussanne and the Viognier
portion is barrel fermented in a combination of new and used oak. The
resulting wine offers rich aromas of peach and pear with notes of tangy
tropical fruit and hints of creaminess in the background. The palate is
rich with citrus and honey flavors complemented by herbal notes. The
creamy, toasty finish is well balanced with acidity. As a food pairing,
grill some nice halibut fillets and dress with a compound butter of
oregano and lemon zest. (Note, Bergevin Lane also makes a
Chardonnay/Viognier blend - Calico White - that is a great value at only
$15)
www.bergevinlane.com
Cougar Crest
2005 Viognier, Estate
Walla Walla Valley
$20.00
Being the owners of several Walla Walla area vineyards, Cougar Crest has
the luxury of working with each season to produce the very best fruit
possible. Owner/winemaker Deborah Hansen crafted this rich Viognier from
grapes grown at their Cougar Hills and Golden's Legacy Vineyards.
Aromas of pear, grapefruit and orange blossom lead to a palate rich with
tropical flavors of mango, pineapple, melon and citrus. A crisp, lemony
finish makes this wine a great complement to fish and light meat dishes.
www.cougarcrestwinery.com
Cougar Crest
2005 Vivace
Viognier/Chardonnay blend 70/30
Columbia Valley
$16.00
This wine combines the best of both varietals with apple/pear notes of
the Chardonnay dovetailing with the tropical and citrus character of the
Viognier. The wine is less assertive on both nose and palate - and less
assertive on the wallet as well. Good value.
Dobbes Family Estate
2004 Viognier
Rogue Valley
$20.00
Winemaker Joe Dobbes is a veteran of many vintages in Oregon and knows
what varietals grow best in which regions. From Rogue Valley
grapes, this Viognier was crafted with a 20% portion barrel fermented in
new French oak, and the remainder fermented in stainless steel.
Look for aromas of white peach, citrus and hints of exotic spices and
flowers. Flavors of tropical fruits and citrus mingle with hints of
garden herbs and lead to a rich-yet-elegant finish that pairs well with
lighter meats and seafood dishes.
www.dobbesfamilyestate.com
Valley View Vineyard
Anna Maria 2006 Viognier
Rogue Valley
$22.00
Valley View Winery is celebrating their 35th year and is one of Southern
Oregon's pioneer winegrowers. The Anna Maria label is reserved for their
finest wines from the best vintages, and the 2006 Viognier is an
excellent example. The aroma is of pear, grapefruit, white peach
and baking spice. The palate is long and complex with tropical
fruit flavors complementing notes of apple, apricot and honey.
Give this wine a try with shrimp salad dressed with orange vinaigrette.
www.valleyviewwinery.com
Spangler Vineyards
2006 Viognier
Southern Oregon
$16.00
Pat and Loree Spangler are doing wonderful things at the former La
Garza Cellars winery near Roseburg. Pat's winemaking efforts are
first rate, with each vintage and varietal being highly anticipated by
consumer and critic alike. His 2006 Viognier is on the tropical
side with ripe aromas of mango, pineapple and citrus complemented by
notes of honey and herbs. The palate is brimming with tropical fruit
flavors and finishes with lip-smacking richness that is a great pairing
for light fare with flavorful sauces. www.spanglervineyards.com
DiStefano Winery
2005 Viognier
Columbia Valley
$19.00
Winemakers Mark Newton and Hillary Sjolund craft superb wines at the
DiStefano Winery in Woodinville. From hearty red varietals and
blends to distinctive dry whites and dessert wines, it is a pleasure to
pull the cork on any DiStefano bottling. The 2005 Viognier offers
aromas of pear, grapefruit and white peach that mingle with floral and
citrus notes. The palate shows ripe flavors of stone fruits and
tropical mango and citrus. Refreshing finish lingers with hints of
herbs and grapefruit, not unlike a fine brut cava. A splendid
aperitif, the 2005 DiStefano Viognier is also well suited to pairing
with seafood and lighter meats. www.distefanowinery.com
Abacela
2006 Viognier, Estate Vineyard
Southern Oregon
$20.00
A nearly perfect growing season provided opulently ripe fruit and
decadent wine with aromas of ripe guava, mango, pear, banana and rosy
perfume. The flavors absolutely burst with lusciously sweet tropical
fruit and underscored honey notes. This is a rich, dry and
balanced wine that maintains a sense of delicacy despite being quite
concentrated and full.
www.abacela.com
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