Joseph Swan Catie's Corner Viognier 2009
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The winery was named by Joe Swan when he founded it forty eight years ago. Joe came to winemaking from an unlikely background. In 1967 he purchased a small farm on Laguna Road near the town of Forestville in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. The property consisted of 13 acres of old Zinfandel vines, fruit trees and pasture along with several structures including an old barn and a nearly 100 year old house.
Although nearly 50 years old, Joseph Swan Vineyards is still young at heart. The passion and curiosity that Joe Swan brought to his craft are still evident in the winery today. Located in the heart of the famed Russian River Valley, now often proclaimed ground zero for great pinot noir, we embrace the artisanal spirit that defines this amazing growing region. The wineries roots were in old vine zinfandel and estate chardonnay and pinot noir. Today, we continue to embrace those wines but also, in recognition of the amazing quality and personality grapes grown by talented and dedicated winegrowers can achieve in this wonderful region, we have added a number of other wines to our portfolio. Each of our wines is a unique expression of its terroir and the vintage. While all carry the hallmark winery signature of balance and personality, they span a broad range of aromas, flavors and textures. As our winemaker often says, “the journey is often more exciting than the destination”. Come and join the journey with us!
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 standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.