Winemaker Notes
Alban Central Coast Viognier showcases the forward heady stone fruit of this variety. The wine is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel and bottled early.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Looking first at the 2021 Viognier Central Coast (which is released under the Central Coast label but nevertheless comes all from the estate in Edna Valley), it has a vivid gold hue as well as a great nose of crushed citrus, honeysuckle, and assorted white flower and acacia notes. Medium-bodied, seamless, and elegant, with just a kiss of background toast and brioche, it's a terrific expression of the variety and well worth seeking out.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Matured mainly in stainless steel and amphorae, the 2021 Viognier has a delicate perfume of fresh quince, jasmine and almonds. The medium-bodied palate is fresh, gently rounded and layered with detailed fruits and a very long, gently nutty finish. Neither lean nor tropical, it strikes a fine balance that makes it ideal for the table.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: After a dear friend, Dan Stromberg, poured a glass of Viognier for John Alban to celebrate their 24th birthday, John became hooked on everything Rhone. His dedication and stubbornness have brought the world some of the best New World Rhône wines. The 2021 Alban Vineyards Central Coast Viognier is bright, persistent, and nicely packed. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with aromas and flavors of chalky notes, rocks in the desert, and stone fruits. Pair it with a Cantonese fish salad with pickled scallions and toasted sesame seeds. (Tasted: August 15, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
Full-figured and charmingly floral, Viognier is one of the most important white grapes of the northern Rhône where it is used both to produce single varietal wines and as an important blending grape. Look for great New World examples from California, Oregon, Washington and cooler parts of Australia. Somm Secret—Viognier plays a surprisingly important role in the red wines of Côte Rôtie in the northern Rhône. About 5% Viognier is typically co-fermented with the Syrah in order to stabilize the color, and as an added benefit, add a subtle perfume.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.