Winemaker Notes
Blend: 85% Pinot Blanc and 15% Viognier
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Stainless steel fermented, this blend (85% Pinot Blanc and 15% Viognier) understands its natural abilities: the vibrant tropical notes of the Pinot Blanc and the creamy, floral perfume of the Viognier. Hints of key lime, lemon blossoms, and chamomile dot the palate, with secondary flavors of salted Delicious apple, ginger, and honeydew. Quite layered and special.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2015 Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc - Viognier is aromatic, appealing, and bright. The wine's peach skin and melon flavors are nicely accented with a hint of flowers. Its off-dry finish pairs it well with chili oil-accented Chinese chicken salad. (Tasted: August 2, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.