Viognier, the scent of spring in the Napa Valley!
Viognier, the scent of spring! As winter passes and we start warming up to summer in the Napa Valley, the wines we enjoy see a correlative trend. Heavy Cabernet keeps us warm by the fire, and food friendly Merlot charm guests at our holiday celebrations, but by April our palates are looking for something a little more refreshing. With the warming temperatures, the food starts to lighten up from turkey and prime rib, to ceviche and an occasional BBQ. And with that goes our wine selection, and this spring, we are going deep on Viognier.
A relatively unknown variety, Viognier is as mysterious as it is hard to pronounce. Hailing from the northern Rhône Valley of France, it is most commonly mentioned there with it’s bunk mates Rousanne and Marsanne. In American and France, the three are often blended, but when done right, Viognier can shine as a soloist in a grand concerto! Perfumey aromas of tropical fruits like passion fruit, mandarin orange, honey-suckle and orange flower dominate the bouquet. The texture on the tongue does range, especially in California, from light and crisp to lightly oaked and rich with flavors of apricot, starfruit and a distinct minerality. This is the list of the Viognier we will be enjoying as the winter thaws into spring.
A very well known and easy to find edition is the Miner Family Winery Simpson Vineyard Viognier. Grower John Simpson’s sustainably-farmed vineyard in the warm, sunny Madera region of Central California has been the source for nearly 20 years. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, this version shows the more acidic and bright side. Fresh chevre, aged Gouda, and double and triple creams like Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam shine with this wine, and are a perfect way to kick off the longer and sunnier days of spring.
The Croze Napa Valley Suzanne K Viognier came from Phoenix Phamily Vineyard in the southern part of the Napa Valley, were the cool breezes resemble the French Mistrals of Burgundy. This breeze and morning fog from the San Pablo Bay has a cooling effect that creates a sweet spot for these tender grapes. The vineyard itself is small, and our yield is a miniscule two point three tone per acre. The tiny production of one hundred and thirty five cases of 2012 Suzanne K is a natural with creamy soups, stone fruits, salmon, Asian food and more. It features an elegant bouquet of subtle spice, fresh cut roses and other classic Viognier aromas.
As we move through our list, the Viognier grape shows more viscosity and mouth feel with the rendition from Freemark Abbey Winery . This wine features forty percent French Oak, although no new oak. The neutral oak adds a richness on the palate without compromising the brilliant acidity indigenous to the varietal, as well as a bit of straw color. In addition to a rounder mouth feel, the slight touch of oak on this
wine draws out the natural richness while complimenting the classic spice notes found in Viognier worldwide. The weight and texture introduced by the oak treatment also give a bit of length to the finish, as this wine seems to last and last after every sip. Other honorable mentions of Viognier include the very rare and expensive pair produced at Darioush and Pride Mountain Vineyards . At the high elevation on Spring Mountain, Pride’s Viognier is concentrated and rich, while the one at Darioush sees a heavy and unique oak regiment that includes French Oak as well as acacia barrels. Although these might be hard to acquire, they are more than worth the effort as they will wow you with some of the most bold and pronounced adaptations of Napa Valley Viognier. Get ready for spring and find some of these incredible wines near you!
If you’re not sure how to pronounce Viognier (vee-on-yay) the video below will help!