This beautiful French Rhone varietal is pretty rare in the Napa Valley. Some of our favorite farmers grow this pretty grape for us. We are really red wine drinkers, but we wanted to make a fun and beautiful well-balanced white. While searching for that very special grape, the Viogner instead unexpectedly found us. A nose of apricot, peaches and melon and a bracing acid that balances the tropical finish of banana, pineapple and macadamia nut. An extraordinary white wine by any standard.
The wine has seen no oak, it is 100% stainless steel fermented and aged. This allows all of the fruit notes to be expressed and helps develop the driving acidity of the wine. Just the right amount of bottle aging has rounded out and integrated all of these characteristics.
14.4% Alcohol by Volume
The vineyards where this lovely varietal is produced are nestled in the Pope Valley, part of the Vacas Mountain Range, on the back side of Howell Mountain in the Napa Valley Appellation.
The 2006 growing season began with a cool, wet spring delaying bud break by several weeks. In June the vines began to bloom and set fruit with the arrival of sunshine and warmth. There was a brief, but very beneficial, heat wave at the beginning of early July, which jump-started the fruit back onto track. Mild and seasonal weather throughout the rest of the summer allowed for even ripening and fantastic results during harvest.
