2006 Viognier

Production Notes

The 2006 Tablas Creek Vineyard Viognier is Tablas Creek’s third bottling of this most exuberant of Rhone white varietals. The Viognier grape is best known from the Northern Rhone, but is also used in the south as a blending component, to give peachy aromatics, weight on the palate, and spice to blends. We have found that in California, it is important to maintain Viognier’s acidity, as its tropical richness can otherwise overwhelm its balance.

As with all our wines, the Viognier grapes were grown on our 120-acre certified organic estate vineyard.

We use most of our Viognier in our Côtes de Tablas Blanc each year. However, in 2006, we were so pleased by the Viognier that we harvested that we reserved 3 barrels (75 cases) of Viognier for a single-varietal.

The 2006 vintage was a study of contrasts, with a cold, wet start, a very hot early summer, a cool late summer and a warm, beautiful fall. Ample rainfall in late winter gave the grapevines ample groundwater, and produced relatively generous crop sizes. The relatively cool late-season temperatures resulted in a delayed but unhurried harvest, wines with lower than normal alcohols, strong varietal character, and good acids. Viognier began the harvest starting September 15th, and was largely in by the end of September.

The Viognier grapes were whole cluster pressed, and fermented using native yeasts in neutral barrels to emphasize the grapes' natural richness without adding oak that might weigh down the aromatics. The wine was bottled in May 2007.

Tasting Notes

The 2006 Viognier is a pale green-gold wine with a flowery jasmine and honeysuckle nose. It is crisp and dry, yet round on the palate, with bright fruit, structure, and depth, followed by a long, dry finish with flavors of peach pit, honey, and crushed rock.

Reviews

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Recipe Suggestions

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Food Pairings

  • White fishes with tropical salsa
  • Spicy Asian preparations of fish or chicken
  • Garlicky shellfish
  • Green salads with citrus dressing
Viognier

Not Available for Purchase

Blend

  • 100% Viognier

Technical Notes

  • 14.3% Alcohol by Volume
  • 75 Cases Produced

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Upcoming Events

Celebrate Paso Robles Wine Festival with Tablas Creek

Join us for the Paso Robles Wine Community's biggest celebration! We'll pour Esprit de Beaucastel at Friday's Reserve Event and a range of new releases at Saturday's Grand Tasting. And all weekend we'll have special wines open at the winery and will be taking tours to visit our herd of sheep, alpacas and donkeys. Sunday 11am to 1:30pm enjoy Chef Jacob Lovejoy's small plates, free with a tasting. Details & more events »

Tablas Creek News

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On the Blog: When Terroir Was a Dirty Word

May 15, 2013

Take a look at the seven-line entry of Frank Schoonmaker, America’s foremost wine expert and author in 1964, about terroir. His association, rather than the "somewhereness" the wine exhibits, is more of a taste of dirt, neither elegant nor elevated: "somewhat unpleasant, common, persistent”. My, how things have changed. More »