Charles Smith Wines Lawrence Vineyard Viognier 2011
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Also brilliant and one of the top Viogniers made in Washington State, the 2011 Viognier Charles Smith comes from the Lawrence Vineyard, which is located just north of the Royal Slope, at an elevation of 1,450 feet. Barrel-fermented in 10% new French oak and going through full malolactic, it's a knockout effort that will give a top flight Condrieu a run for its money (actually, if price is factored in, this most likely wins hands down). Beautifully aromatic with brioche, apricot, toast and white peach all emerging from the glass, it hits the palate with a medium to full-bodied, decadently textured mouthfeel that never seems heavy or cumbersome, yet delivers awesome richness and depth. Enjoy this knockout white over the coming handful of years.
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Wine Spectator
Polished, expressive and well-detailed, offering honeyed pear and spice flavors on a sleek frame. This has richness and a refreshing finish.
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.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.