Description
Our 2021 Viognier is a modern variation based on a classic theme; eiswein, or ice wine. Traditionally, ice wine is made in Northern latitudes, from grapes which have been allowed to remain on the vine until the first big freeze of the growing season. These frozen grapes are then pressed, and while the water inside the berry is trapped in the form of ice, small droplets of juice, which have been concentrated within the berry into pockets of syrupy nectar, are slowly squeezed out. The juice is then allowed to ferment until it stops naturally, producing a very sweet wine with moderate alcohol. The acids, flavors and aromas, like the sugar, are also concentrated, so the overall impression of the wine is one of power and finesse.
In the southerly latitude of our El Dorado AVA, the cold weather comes too late to make an ice wine naturally. Instead, we harvest the grapes at full ripeness, freeze them in a cold room for one week and then follow the traditional vinification methods.
Made from estate Viognier grapes and fermented in French Oak barrels, this delectable wine combines aromas of citrus and floral nectar with flavors of dried apricot and poached peaches. This is a wonderfully complex, tasty and rich wine; savor it in small quantities after dinner with blue cheese and dried fruits or crème brulee, or by the fireside with roasted marshmallows.
