Welcome to the third in our Wine 103 series, where we continue to explore single varietals that you may see in the store or restaurant.   If you haven’t been through Wine 101 or Wine 102 yet, have no fear, you can pick up from the links.  If you have a moment, go back and check them out!  Today we’ll be talking about Viognier!

Viognier

Viognier is an amazing grape that nearly went extinct back in the 1960s, which would have been a real shame.  Well made Viognier is beautiful, with an amazingly agile, firm body (like a dancer), floral notes, and beautiful fruit.  These flavors can truly explode, with huge notes of apricot, honeysuckle, and musk.  To make it even more amazing, the texture of Viognier can be like silk.

So had it died out, it would have been a real shame, but thanks to becoming fashionable in California, today Viognier covers almost 30,000 acres world wide.

Quick Facts on Viognier

Color:  White
Style: Dry
Body:  Full
General Characteristics:  Lemon, Honeysuckle, Floral, Stone Fruit, Musky
Notable Regions:  France, Australia, California

Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2015

Karen MacNeil, write of The Wine Bible, mentions that some of the most exquisite Viogniers she’s ever had, have come from Yalumba.  Can Yalumba Y Series Viognier (their entry level offering), deliver an amazing experience?

Sight:  A rich, medium gold with flecks of green.

Smell:  Musky, with lemon curd and lychee.  Honeysuckle and hints of other fresh flowers after a rain dance around the nose.  Allspice and cream add another layer of depth.

Sip: The body is bright, fat, and full of a creaminess to the texture.  There’s a defined dryness here that keeps it taut.  Amazing pops of lemon and honeysuckle come together, with hints of allspice and white pepper, to create a vibrant profile.  Hints of minerality are here too.

Savor:  The ending is firmly mixed between allspice, honeysuckle, and lemon.  The finish carries on with a fatty nature for a while, despite all the brightness.

Yalumba Y Series  Viognier is like a hippo doing ballet, simultaneously graceful, and larger than life.  The flavors are simply delicious, and the body is beautiful.  It lacks a little in the way of finesse, but overall, it’s a beautifully rich white wine.  If you haven’t had a Viognier, then Yalumba Y Series Viognier is a great place to start for a great price!

Verdict:  Honeysuckle, Lemon, Allspice, Rich
Rating: 90
Price: $10
South Australia

Available At:

P.S.  Love the reminder label they put on the bottle!