A very good Viognier from Willamette Valley, Oregon…
Name: Estate Viognier
Vintage: 2015
Producer: Cristom Vineyards
Region/Country: Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Grape Varietal(s): Viognier
Consumed: At home on a gorgeous, early summer evening
Recommended By: Received it as a gift as part of a Wine Collective package
Cost: $65 CAD
Bottle Presentation: A simple label, with a mix of fonts, which somehow lack harmony. The picture/image comes across as busy, making it difficult to discern what it actually depicts. The glass stopper, by way of comparison, adds a certain elegance, although it proved difficult to remove once properly seated.
Appearance: Pale lemon.
Nose: A medium nose, with a nice sweetness. Prominent aromas included lychee, banana, honey, rose, grass, and minerality.
Taste: Light-to-medium body, with high acidity and a nice mouth-feel. Flavours included garrigue, pine, minerals, herbs, and honey.
Finish: Long mineral, bitter nuttiness, and Greek honey finish.
Overall Impression: We enjoyed this balanced, well-made Viognier from Oregon. In particular, we took a shine to the Greek honey notes throughout, as well as the sweet, inviting nose, not to mention the elegant glass stopper. We did, however, find it pricey at $65 CAD per bottle. Nonetheless, this Viognier paired beautifully with chicken fajitas, and it would be well-suited to lighter meats, such as pork, Asian dishes, and tapas foods. Of note, contrary to what we read on the promotional material from the Wine Collective, we failed to detect any “aroma of baked croissants.”
Rating (from 70 to 100): 88
Value: 2/5