2004 Viognier

Production Notes

The 2004 Tablas Creek Vineyard Viognier is Tablas Creek’s second bottling of this most exuberant of Rhône white varietals. The Viognier grape is best known from the Northern Rhône, 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 2004, we were so pleased by the Viognier that we harvested that we reserved 5 barrels (125 cases) of Viognier for a single-varietal.

The 2004 vintage was excellent, with a very early spring balanced by a long, warm (but rarely hot) summer. The extended ripening cycle gave the grapes intense aromatics, pronounced minerality, and good structure. The Viognier was harvested between August 23rd and September 27th, and came in with notably higher acidity than previous vintages, as well as explosive aromatics.

The Viognier grapes were whole cluster pressed, and fermented using native yeasts in neutral barrels to emphasize the grapes’ natural richness without deadening the aromatics with oak. The wine was bottled in May 2005.

Tasting Notes

The 2004 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 and apricot.

Reviews

[...more recent Tablas Creek press]

Recipe Suggestions

[...more recipes]

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
  • 125 Cases Produced

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