DAN'S WINE BLOG- THIS WEEK'S WINE REVIEW
Dan Traucki MWCC
WINE ASSIST P/L Freelance Wine Journalist. Also facilitating the export of Australian Wines to the world.
Today is “INTERNATIONAL VIOGNIER DAY” – an event started last year by Australia’s Viognier Masters, Yalumba Wines. It is a French native white variety that is mainly grown in the C?te R?tie of the Rh?ne Valley where it produces distinctive wines. In the appellation of Condrieu it is the only white variety permitted. In Australia, Yalumba were the first to plant the variety in 1980 and have spearheaded the Viognier charge ever since.
As a variety, Viognier has an inherent gentleness/softness about it, yet it has a richness of texture with some balancing subtle tannins.
In preparation for today’s celebration, on Wednesday last week, Yalumba held a online tasting with Chief Winemaker, Louisa Rose, of all five of their Viognier wines and a couple of “ring-ins”.
The wines tasted were:
?Yalumba The Y Series Viognier 2021 (multi region South Australia): A bouquet of apricots, orange, florals, a smidge of ginger and honeysuckle. Wild yeast fermented + lees aging add to the depth and complexity of this attractive wine.
?Yalumba Organic Viognier 2021(mainly Riverland): A blend of apricots, jasmine, ginger and florals on the complex bouquet. The palate has flavours of ripe apricots with a hint of almond meal and a degree of creaminess. Vibrant and youthful.
?Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2020: Strident aromas of ripe apricots, fresh ginger and daisies/white flowers. Uber-long and silky palate, great, rich texture, lovely flavours of peaches and apricots – quite opulent and refreshing. A great food wine.
?Yalumba The Vigilius Eden Valley Viognier 2019: The pinnacle of the range. Pale yellow/gold with green hues, vibrant aromas of ripe apricots, ginger and a smidge of white pepper. Fabulous texture with a hint of minerality and savouriness. A keeper and a truly Classic Viognier.
?Yalumba FSW Wrattonbully Botrytis Viognier 2020: Light golden colour. Divine bouquet of dried apricots, honeysuckle with a splash of ginger and vanilla. Beautifully balanced sweetness with a delightful lingering finish. Oh Yum!!!
?Langmeil Wines Three Gardens Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne 2021: A very classy restrained wine with a delicate complex bouquet. Rich, round, elegant flavours with enough power and depth to match serious food – try it instead of a red with your steak!
?E Guigal C?te du Rh?ne 2019: Wow! Classic French in style and flavour (60% Viognier), subtle bouquet with a sniff of burnt matchstick, rich, round, sophisticated mouthful of flavour with just a hint of almond skin bitterness. A great, elegant, classy wine that goes brilliantly with food.
The outcome of this tasting was to demonstrate what an amazingly textural wine Viognier is, how well it pairs with most food, and how due to its natural acidity it can be treated more like a red wine than a delicate white in the winery with a degree of oxidative handling.
So I say, VIVA VIOGNIER!!!
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