Viognier

[rcvasavada]

I would like a few suggestions for moderately priced but good Viognier wine. I know of only one: "Joseph Phelps Vin Du Mistral Viognier."
What kind of appetizers, cheeses will go with this wine?
Thanks, RC

[Innkeeper]

Hi RC, and welcome to the Wine Board. Am not familiar with the Phelps Vin Du Mistral, but have not met a California Viognier that I liked. Reason? In a word, oak. The first impression you get when you take a whiff of viognier is perfume. The mere thought of perfume and oak together makes my skin crawl.

Try Georges Duboeuf Vin de Pays L'Ardeche Viognier. It runs around $10 or less. Try soft garlic herbed goat cheese and crackers with your viognier.

Since you are on the Left Coast, it would be difficult to obtain East Coast wines. If you ever venture back East, look for Norton (of Virginia) Viognier or other East Coast Viogniers. Then tend to make them in the French style, sans oak.

[winer]

I would recommend the Chilean Viognier under the "Cono Sur" label. Excellent quality and very reasonable price. But I don't know if it is available in California.

[sharktanq]

I recently went wine tasting at Delicato.

From a press release July 23, 2002: "The winery's Clay Station 2001 Viognier also won "Best of California" honors after being tasted blind against 57 other California Viogniers. Clay Station is Delicato's newest brand just being introduced. The wine is currently available exclusively at the winery's tasting room located on South Highway 99 in Manteca, California. The wine is created from grapes harvested from Delicato's Clay Station Vineyard located in the foothills just East of Lodi. Viognier is the first Clay Station Vineyard wine to be released. This is the first time the wine has been entered in domestic competition."

It was very good and very resonable on the pocketbook too.

[Innkeeper]

Took an inventory of our white wines the other day to be sure nothing was getting too old. Everything was '00 or later except one bottle of '98 GDB Viognier. That concerned me a little. Today we are on tap to go to a church dinner tonight that will not feature any wine. So this afternoon we had the afore mentioned crackers and cheese with the '98 Viognier.

It was not as floral on the nose as it might have been a year or two ago. But, it was still very nice and enjoyable. This tells me that you do not need oak in viognier to preserve it a little past its expected lifetime.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 09-12-2002).]

[rcvasavada]

Thanks to all of you for some very good sugestion for Viognier wines. I have only one idea so far for apppetizers (garlic goat cheese & crackers) Any more sugegstions for appetizers/ food to go with Viognier! Any negative experieces would be welcome too! I mean what not to do!! Thanks, RC