2008 Viognier

Tasting notes: Our 2008 Viognier displays a pale green-gold color in the glass. On the nose, the wine exhibits aromas of peach and apricot along with hints of melon and honeysuckle. The mouthfeel is crisp and dry, yet round with no sharp edges. The rich peach and honey flavors are balanced by intriguing notes of crushed rock and melon, all of which linger on the long finish.

Winemaking: 100% whole cluster pressed, cold fermented using native yeasts. The fermented juice was allowed to undergo 100% malolactic fermentation.

• 90% Viognier, fermented in stainless steel.
• 5% Marsanne, fermented in stainless steel.
• 5% Roussanne, fermented in neutral hungarian oak.

Winemaker comments: The 2008 Viognier was a very interesting wine to make. Because the grapes came in very ripe, we were somewhat nervous about using native yeast fermentation (which can be a bit unpredictable). The wine went dry, however, with very little difficulty, even under a long, cold fermentation (which we like to do in order to retain the fresh aromatics of the wine). The finished Viognier lots displayed a very crisp acidity along with a beautiful mineral component, something we didn't see in last year's Viognier (all of which was used in our Calotte). We added very small amounts of Roussanne and Marsanne to balance the Viognier’s acidity and to add complexity to the finished wine. Only a light cold stabilization was done before bottling.

Cases Produced: 32

Vineyard Sources: 95% Cooper Vineyards (Viognier, Marsanne); 5% Monarch Mine (Roussanne)

Harvest Date: Sept. 3, 2008

Bottling Date: June 15, 2009

Ageability: Viognier, as a general rule, is not a wine intended to be aged for long periods of time. It is best enjoyed in its exuberant youth (its first year of life, or so) while it still retains its lovely aromatics and fruit-forward qualities.