With all the white wine trends regarding chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio currently taking place, one of the other intriguing varietals that has generally slipped underneath the radar is the growing appreciation for viognier, the main grape used in the Condrieu and Chateau-Grillet regions in France’s Rhone Valley.
In less than 20 years, wines made with this unique thick-skinned grape with a golden hue have evolved from a being little more than novelty items at specialty wine shops to becoming one of the most fashionable styles of white wine made in California. Today over 2,000 acres of the grape variety are now planted throughout the state—a vast increase from just 25 acres planted in 1988.
Unlike the other premium white wines grapes made with grapes grown in the Rhone Valley or California (mainly rousanne and marsanne), viognier tends to be higher in alcohol, low in acidity, and packs a relativey large amount of natural tannins. When it’s done right, a well-crafted viognier (pronounced “vee-en-yay”) can often feature fragrant aromas of fresh flowers, honeysuckle and spice, intensive flavors of apricot, peach, pear, mango, lychee fruit and raw honey, a hint of richness on the palate and a stimulating amount of warmth on the finish.
In Sonoma Valley, Vic McWilliams of Castle Vineyards began working with viognier grapes in the mid 1980s after tasting some of the original releases made by Dick Arrowood with grapes grown at Sara Lee Vineyard in Russian River Valley.
“I loved the aromatics and depth. It was much like the great German riesling or gewurztraminer, but with more body,” said McWilliams. “It was from that point on that I wanted to make my own batches of this beautiful style of white wine.”
Today, the winery produces about 200 cases annually. Winemaking techniques include whole cluster pressing, followed by a lightly cold fermenting between 30 to 40 days, and aging the wine sur lie in relatively neutral French oak barrels. The end result is a consistently clean, crisp wine with a rich texture and creamy mouthfeel.
The latest Castle release from the 2003 vintage was made exclusively with grapes grown just east of downtown Sonoma at the Landa and Richardson vineyards. According to McWilliams, the trick to selling this type of specialty product is to simply get consumers to taste it.
“In many cases the customers are intimidated by the wine because they either do not know the varietal or else they are afraid to pronounce the name. Our mission has been to get them past that first stage by just handing them a glass of wine and letting them try it.”
Deeper in Sonoma Valley, the first blocks of viognier were T-budded onto an old barbera vines at the Kunde Estate in 1990. From the 15 acres of planted vines, the family-owned winery produces 1,000 cases of viognier, which sells out on an annual basis. In addition, a percentage of the grapes are also used to blend with estate syrah and sauvignon blanc.
“Our production of viognier may only amount to five percent of all the wines we make, but we feel it is an important variety that fills the needs of the consumers who want to new and exciting white wines instead of just more chardonnay,” said David Noyes, Kunde winemaker for the past 16 years and proprietor of David Noyes Wines.
In addition to Castle and Kunde, other Sonoma Valley vintners that produce either still wine or late harvest dessert wine versions of viognier include Arrowood, Cline, Wellington, Mayo, Imagery Estate, Chateau St. Jean, and other family-owned wineries.
On a more boutique level, one of the newer producers in the valley is Whitmore Wine Company, which sources fruit from several different locations in California. In the cellar, proprietor/winemaker Sam Whitmore uses the classic “hands-off” technique by using only stainless steel tanks to capture the true aromas and flavors that the varietal is known for. In the case of the 2004 “Get Lucky” Viognier, the winery’s inaugural release, this meant highlighting distinctive aromas of fresh flower blossoms, fruity flavors of apricots, peaches and ginger spice, and a long lingering finish.
Whitmore said the decision to make viognier the main white wine in his portfolio was determined when he enjoyed the wine on a regular basis during a summer visit to the Rhone Valley a few years ago. “There is nothing better than a unique wine with some personality that works so well with food and culture!” said Whitmore, who donates a percentage of all wines sold to local charities.
Aside from tasting rooms and wine clubs, many of these wines can be found at fine restaurants, where the varietal often works well with everything from Mediterranean cuisine, hot and spicy Asian cuisine, and more traditional foods such as pepper steak, pork, poultry and medium strong or salty cheeses.
Outside of Sonoma Valley, other California wineries that have helped promote the viognier movement include Pride Mountain, Alban, Calera, Joseph Phelps, La Jota, Jade Mountain, Voss, Gregory Graham, McDowell, Garretson, Tablas Creek, Edmund St. John, and Domaine de la Terre Rouge.
Look for many of these producers to be pouring their latest releases of viognier at the 9th Annual Rhone Rangers wine tasting event Saturday, March 18th at Fort Mason in San Francisco. For more information, check out www.rhonerangers.org. |
