Anyone who follows my updates on Facebook and Twitter probably already knows that last Friday and Saturday I was volunteering as a wine pourer at the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival. I had a blast and I got some pretty cools shots of the hot air balloons there, which you can check out on my Facebook.
They had me pouring wine by the glass in the white and blush wine section. For research and quality control purposes I had to taste each of the wines I was going to be pouring of course, and that lead me to find some real gems. Of the close to forty wines that I tried during my time at the Festival, the ones that consistently impressed me the most were the Temecula Valley Viogniers.
From the moment I first discovered this varietal, I knew I’d found something special. Originally from the Rhone Valley in France, both Old World and New World producers are now making Viogniers that are absolutely brilliant. It’s such an interesting grape, and it has the ability to take on a vast array of different styles. Capable of being intensely fruity or buttery soft, dry or dessert sweet, Viognier is a varietal that can take on many different identities. That said, this grape can be a battle to grow. It is famously unpredictable, easily susceptible to disease, and must be picked at the exact peak of ripeness. I keep saying that Temecula is California’s next serious wine region, and the number of excellent Viogniers being produced there do a great job of proving my point.
Each of the wines that we’re about to talk about show a different facet of Viognier’s many styles. The first displays its highly fragranced, sweeter side, the second shows a restrained elegant style, and the third is a decadent, creamy, buttery take that rivals the best of oaked Chardonnay. Each one is unique in its own way and each one displays both the incredible capabilities of this grape and the region.
Wine #1: Briar Rose Winery 2009 Temecula Valley Estate Viognier
I remember being taken aback by this wine’s complexity and depth when I tasted it at the Festival. It made my imagination soar, trying to think of ways to describe it in my tasting notes. How appropriate that a wine that evoked such fantasy should come from a winery based on a fairy tale.
Briar Rose Winery, which takes its name from the Grimm’s fairy tale more commonly known as Snow White, is one of Temecula’s most highly regarded boutique wineries. Their tasting room is located in a replica of the seven dwarves’ cottage at Disneyland, and better yet, the building was actually constructed by a Disney engineer. This beautiful place truly defines a cult boutique winery. They require reservations to do a tasting, and the wines being poured are then divided into standard and premium tasting offerings. Although today’s Viognier is considered a standard offering (despite the fact that it is an estate private reserve wine), the premium selections include some iconoclast cult wines with prices ranging from $120-1,300. Fortunately, at $25, our Viognier offers the same exceptional boutique craftsmanship at a fraction of the price.
The nose on this wine had me impressed from the beginning. Its vibrancy and fresh, assertive fruit made it incredibly inviting. I pick up on tons of sweet fruit and blooming flowers. I can best define the aroma of this wine as pretty, charming and refined, but with a sense of sweetness deep within that makes it extremely attractive. There are tones of ripe peach, tropical fruit, nectar dripped floral aromas and the very faintest edge of bluestone.
The palate caried over the same sensational journey introduced on the palate. It opens with a very delicate sweetness, which seems to emanate from the ripe, juicy tropical and stone fruit core of this wine. It really is like a perfectly ripe piece fruit, with excellently balanced acidity, body and smoothness. It’s rich and complex and I detect notes of white peach, ripe mango, white flowers and delicate honey. There is also a very soft almost cotton-like floral component, and a touch of faint lemon curd. This is a really impressive wine and I think that it’s balance, complexity, and refinement make it a wine…
Worth buying. 91 points.
Wine #2: Masia de Yabar 2008 South Coast Viognier
Coming from a fairly new winery, specializing in primarily Spanish varietals, this wine was one of our best sellers at the Festival. Both of the days that I was there, the temperature was well over 90
degrees outside. Being an outdoor event located close to a lake, there was also a bit of humidity in the air that made the conditions feel especially balmy. When it’s killer hot outside you look for something light and refreshing, but when you’re at a major wine event, you also want something with some substance, a wine to please the body and the mind. This is what we’ve got here, Masia de Yabar does the trick splendidly.
I’ve found that there are certain wines that you can just tell your going to like based on the very first sniff. The aroma on this wine is incredible, and I’d bet they could sell this wine by smell alone at the tasting room. It’s so fresh and refined, explosive with complexity, but also restrained and elegant as well. I pick up on lots of stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, apricots), some citrus tones, maybe like orange and lemon zest, with a bit of a fresh cut melon component as well. There is a certain mineral water component that seems to wash across the nose, and a very faint scent of jasmine.
The palate is an exact and perfect copy of the aroma. It’s full of fruit bowl tones, opening with white nectarine, moving quickly to citrus, and then finishing on faintly green melon notes. Throughout the entire time there is that same mineral water component I detected aromatically, it’s very soft and delicate, and its gentle stoniness seems to really saturate the fruit’s complexity, while giving the wine a greater sense of depth. This is a really nice wine, elegantly done with great control and finesse. It maintains a lightness that makes it refreshing, while at the same time remaining incredibly interesting and impressive. A solid buy at the price and easily…
Worth Trying. 90 points.
Wine #3: Temecula Hills 2008 South Coast Viognier
I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of big, oaky wines, red or white. I’d much rather drink a wine with great, intense fruitiness and expression than a woody Chardonnay anyway. However, when done properly, the big and buttery style can be absolutely indulgent. The problem is finding one of the few producers who can get it right. Temecula Hills Winery is one of my personal favorites in the valley. Previously I have had a number of their reds (their Syrah is absurdly good, but that’ll be another post), but I have not had the opportunity to try any of their white wines until now. Not surprisingly, Temecula Hills Winery performs once again, and brings a rich, creamy, buttery Viognier to the table that absolutely obliterates many Chardonnays in this style that I have had at three times the price.
The nose on this wine let’s you know instantly that it’s going to be creamy. There is this sweet butter tone that wafts up instantly, with extremely subtle notes of vanilla ice cream and macadamia nuts. I pick up on a very delicate caramel quality as well as an apple pie and strusel component. This wine is totally dry, and it’s absolutely a table wine without question, but the nose just smells rich and delicious like some kind of dessert.
The palate opens with rich apple pie tones, complete with cinnamon and kitchen spice, as well as a light caramel component. There is a good amount of creaminess both in flavor and in texture, that makes me think of custard or really high quality creamery butter. There are faint vanilla flower tones lingering in the background and there is the softest touch of chalky minerals on the edges, which I really enjoy. This is such a nice wine, it coats the palate with its silky, butteriness, and then slowly unfolds into something quite fascinating. It’s very nicely structured and this really is an excellent example of Viognier made in this difficult to master style. An absolute bargain for the price and totally…
Worth Buying. 90 points.
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The Grapevine: What is your experience with / what are your thoughts on Viognier?
