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Viognier Wine Tasting Notes
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2006 McManis California Viognier $10 Score: 90.0 I'm a big fan of McManis wines, which deliver pure varietal fruit at a bargain fruit. This '06 Viognier delivers intense dried apricot, a hint of pineapple, and vibrant minerality, with medium body and a silky texture. Reminds me of some experimental Viogniers from Northern Italy. A great value. |
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2006 Sobon Estate Amador County Viognier $15.50 Score: 87.0 Lovely restrained floral scents, dry, silky smooth and full bodied on the palate, with white peach on the mid-palate and a hint of minerality through the somewhat warm finish. |
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2005 Christine Andrew California Viognier $13 Score: 89.0 Sourced from Lodi, this Viognier is a wonderfully restrained and balanced rendition sporting just 13.5% alcohol, as opposed to most California Vigoniers that fall in the 14.5 to 15% range. It shows pleasant white peach aromas and flavors supported by floral scents and stone-mineral notes that carry the finish. Refreshing and easy to pair with any salad, seafood or poultry dishes. |
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2005 Ironstone Vineyards California Viognier $10 Score: 79.0 Hawthorne blossom aroma, dry and tart with citrus and green flavors. With its 18% Chardonnay this Viognier sidesteps Viognier's tendency toward high alcohol, but the grapes were simply picked under ripe, so Viognier's finer characteristics are lost. I'd be hard pressed to pick this out of flight of Pinot Grigios. |
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2005 Sobon Estate Amador County Viognier $15.50 Score: 89.0 Some Viogniers emphasize tropical fruit. This one emphasizes floral aromas and flavors. A blend of 92% Viognier, 6% Roussanne, and 2% Marsanne, this full bodied wine offers apple blossom, lavender and honeysuckle scents, while the palate adds a hint of savory herbs. My only reservation is the hot and comparatively short finish. |
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2004 Pine Ridge Clarksburg Chenin Blanc - Viognier $12 Score: 95.0 A magical marriage, nothing is so synergistic as Chenin and Viognier. Viognier gives Chenin more body and an extroverted personality. Chenin gives Viognier more acid and less alcohol, a certain delicacy that Viognier lacks. Together they make the perfect pair. This perfectly balanced example has aromas of white peach, guava, and melon rind. Add tangerine on the palate. Refreshing enough to quaff, complex enough to savor. 80% Chenin - 20% Viognier. |
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1999 Stags Leap Winery Napa Valley Viognier $25.00 Score: 87.0 "I like this Viognier. Its reminiscent of Northern Rhone Viogniers, with delicate rose petal and dry citrus character, tart acidity and some mineral notes. A good match for sautéed chicken or fish, or pasta Alfredo." |
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1998 Vichon Mediterranean Vin de Pays DOc Viognier Score: 86.0 "I have not been a big fan of Vichons previous Viogniers, but the '98 takes a big step forward. Its dry, with the delicate rose petal character reminiscent of Northern Rhone Viogniers. Well-balanced without excessive alcohol." |
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1999 Freemark Abbey Carpy Ranch Napa Valley Viognier Score: 89.0 "Tasting almost dry, the Freemark Abbey Viognier displays bright tangerine, guava and pineapple fruit, balanced by very crisp acidity, and finishes with a floral note. One of Napas best Viogniers." |
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1999 Pine Ridge California Chenin Blanc-Viognier Score: 97.0 "This blend of 86% Chenin Blanc and 14% Viognier is to wine what light fusion cuisine is to food; it offers surprising flavors, subtly combined. The expansive nose is a melange of grapefruit, peach and honeydew melon, while the palate adds some spicy notes. Dry and perfectly balanced, its a synergistic blend thats better balanced than most Viogniers, and more aromatic than most Chenins. Its also an absurdly easy match for fish, poultry, veal or pork." |
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1999 Hogue Vineyard Selection Columbia Valley Viognier $15.00 Score: 89.0 "A dry, well-balanced Viognier with oak, orange peel, jasmine, tart peachy fruit, light spice and mineral notes that make it a zesty accompaniment for a wide range of dishes, from cream sauces to tomato sauces, from poultry to beef.." |
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1999 Phillips Vineyards California Viognier Score: 84.0 "Exhibiting the strengths and weaknesses of Viognier - tropical fruit sensations, followed by a dry, medium-bodied palate, and a hot, alcoholic finish (no surprise, as its 15.7% alcohol). " |
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1998 Alderbrook Sonoma County "Viognier: One of the few Viogniers on the market that have plenty of varietal fruit without excess $18.00 Score: 89.0 " The pairing is pure magic. The textures are very similar and something in the interplay between the vanilla and pineapple flavors of the wine calls to mind the coconut in the soup. The lime in the soup picks up the acidity in the wine, and the smoked salmon touches on the smokey character imparted by 25% barrel fermentation. Altogether a memorable meal." |
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1998 Callaway Vineyard & Winery Estate Bottled Temecula Viognier $15.00 Score: 86.0 "Crisp and fruity-intense citrus, apricot, honey, its almost dry and quite spicy through the mid-palate and finish. Best as an aperitif or with poultry." |
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1998 Pine Ridge California Chenin Blanc - Viognier $11.00 Score: 89.0 "Pine Ridge has previously put out a Viognier with a little Chenin in it. This is just the opposite; a Chenin with a little (13%) Viognier in it. Its bone dry with a floral nose and a touch of tangerine, as well as full-blown mineral character on the palate and through the finish. A fine accompaniment to fish, shellfish, poultry, veal or pork." |
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