2016 Viognier

Description

Tasting Notes

This wine has wonderful and bright stone fruit notes. White peach, pear, and floral notes combine for an interesting aromatic experience. The finish is warm with a touch of sweetness. As fruit driven as this wine is, it will pair nicely with spicy foods and seafood.

Vineyard Designation

Coyote Canyon Vineyard – Horse Heaven Hills AVA

Vineyard Notes

2016 was another warm vintage in Washington State, which resulted in an early harvest. In the spring, we had a lot of wet weather that helped the early seasonal growth. The sun was out and shining throughout spring and summer, but temperatures rarely got over 100 degrees. The consistent warm weather without the normal extremes allowed the grapes to ripen without being overly stressed. Most of our white grapes were picked earlier than usual. The grapes for this were the first picked of the season.

Winemaking

Viognier is a classic Rhone varietal. It has its own unique characteristics. It is a white that can hold up to some oak. We go the stainless steel fermenting style, accentuating the fruit notes. We usually pick this grape early in the season, which gives us a gauge for how things might play out. In 2016, we picked earlier than usual. A little extra crop helped slow the ripening. The addition of Roussanne adds a little more complexity.

Awards

Gold – 2017 Denver International Wine Festival