Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with venison scaloppine, pan-fried blue crab cakes and sea scallops.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Viognier Reserve is unoaked and comes in at 13.5% alcohol. This has been held back in bottle, but this is the current release. Winemaker Luca Paschina says it is more similar to the 2014 than the riper 2015. Often one of Virginia's overachievers at a very nice price in any year, this bottling shows good concentration for the grape and the style, a lush feel and grip on the finish. The length on the finish makes it more impressive. Elegant and fresh, this shows beautifully, but it did seem a touch closed. It may yet improve—I suspect it will. There is no rush—history tends to show that this bottling ages surprisingly well (see the note on the 1997), despite my conservative drinking window here, which gives it a bit of distinction that is sometimes hard to appreciate when it is young. Most won't bother to hold it even a little, which is a shame. It's a fine value, in any event.
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.
Diversity of landscape, terrain and climate make Virginia one of the most exciting American wine producing states today. Its viticultural history reaches as far back as 1607 when early settlers made the first wine from indigenous American grapes.
Thomas Jefferson imported the first French varieties to Virginia and grew the Vitis vinifera species (the European species), though not with great success.
Today, however, increased knowledge and optimal vineyard management techniques bring prosperity with a great number of diverse varieties. Virginia’s varied landscape has created seven distinct AVAs (American Viticultural Areas).
Encouraged by an enthusiastic state government, fine wine production in Virginia continues to flourish. The state achieves success with a variety of wine types and styles including sparkling wines, Bordeaux Blends, Nebbiolo, Chardonnay, Viognier and less common whites like Petit Manseng and Vermentino.