Cline Viognier 1999

Viognier is quickly becoming a popular grape among California's more progressive winemakers. At the winery we have found the grape's exotic spice, floral and tropical nuances particularly exciting and do all that we can to accentuate this aspect of variety. Consciously avoiding the tendency in California to make this varietal in the style of Chardonnay, we have vinified our Los Carneros Viognier more like the best northern Rhone examples. Meanwhile, modern winemaking techniques and partial stainless steel fermentation give our wine more characteristic fruit appeal than those of France. Loaded with exotic melon, flower and spicy notes, I feel this Viognier makes an ideal aperitif as well as a beautiful accompaniment to hedonistic seafood dishes, such as lobster in a ginger-butter sauce.