Do You Know The Way to Viognier?

Do You Know The Way to Viognier?

Wine Tributaries
by Tim Hayes & John Koetzner

If you have not made a visit to Alderbrook Vineyards & Winery lately, we can give you several reasons to make the effort to make a stop by their tasting room. One reason is related to our most recent column on food and wine pairing, because Alderbrook actively creates food and wine pairings as part of its ongoing promotion to make the marriage of food and wine part of the whole wine experience. They actually send food with their wines to some writers to show off how well they complement each other. (In our case, Tim prepared a gourmet meal to pair with Alderbrook's wines.)

Another reason to stop by Alderbrook is to sample the wines that Kristi Koford is making. Previously with Robert Mondavi Winery and St. Supery Vineyards in Napa, she joined Alderbrook in 1997. There is a distinct freshness to the way she's approaching the art of winemaking for Alderbrook, and this year's releases of Viognier, Saugivnon Blanc and Gewurztraminer really highlight her artistry. The wines are crisp, show off excellent fruit, and are well-balanced.

Koford has been especially adept at producing some consistent award winning wines which is yet another reason to make the stop to their tasting room. While many people will hunt for a gold medal winner, that may not really mean much if it is only for one competition out of the numerous ones that abound in the food and wine industry.

However, if a wine consistently wins awards, that demonstrates that a wine is pleasing to a greater number of judges. A good example of this trend is the 1997 Russian River Valley Viognier. It has won nine silver medals for Alderbrook, and if you are tired of the Chardonnay glut or the Sauvignon Blanc rut, it may be time to explore this varietal that is found in Rhone wines.

After all, nine silver medals are worth more than a single gold.

Although the tasting room is currently sold out, we recommend that you find your way to the Alderbrook Viognier. A good reason to seek it out is to educate your palate about this rising star in the vineyards. The wines produced from this grape are going to continue to climb in popularity, and they usually are available at a more moderate price than other dry white wines.

Should you be unfamiliar with the grape, do not feel alone. In 1987 there were only eleven acres of it planted in California; by 1995 it had jumped to 489 acres planted. The advantage to growing such a grape? It is known for its softness, freshness and rich fruit.

In France a small percentage of it is often blended into Syrahs to soften the red wines. Here in Healdsburg, it makes a wonderful accompaniment to many meals, including the polenta with gorgonzola cream sauce and grilled pears that we had.

But even if the Viognier is currently sold out, Alderbrook has numerous other wines that are consistent in winning awards such as their Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel (OVOC), and others. Below are our notes from a tasting we did of four current Alderbrook releases.

$10.50	1997 Gewurztraminer Saralee's Vineyard Russian River Valley	A light straw-colored wine with a spicy, honey and floral nose in an off-dry style with good honey-like fruit forward and a citrus finish.	(2 glasses)
$11.00	1997 Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek Valley	Medium straw in color with a slightly woody, light grassy and vegetative nose, crisp and clean fig-like fruit with citrus and hints of vanillin from new oak.	(2 glasses)
$18.00	1997 Viognier Russian River Valley	Medium straw color with a pear and melon nose, citrus and honey flavors with a rich mouthfeel, excellent balance in acid, and an exceptional finish.	(3 glasses)
$20.00	1996 Merlot Sonoma County	Good ruby color with a ripe berry, raisiny and light toasty oak nose, and raspberry jam fruit, that has an excellent mouthfeel, soft tannins, and an excellent finish.	(3 glasses)
3 glasses = Outstanding wine. Buy it now. 2 glasses = Very good quality wine. 1 glass = Pleasant, above average wine.

Wine Tributaries is hosted by Wines on the Internet.