Nose
Exotic aromas of guava, banana, apricot and honeydew melon spill from the glass, with additional hints of vanilla bean, anise, clove and spice adding nuance and depth.
Palate
On the palate, this wine is luscious and mouthcoating, with a silky-smooth texture that underscores the intense layers of peach, guava, quince and jasmine. The finish is long and spicy, with linger notes of ripe tropical fruit.
Growing Conditions
Our debut Sonoma-Loeb Viognier comes from the Laird family’s Cold Creek Ranch, an acclaimed vineyard located on the Sonoma side of Carneros. Cold Creek’s rock and gravel soils are ideal for Viognier, as are the cooling sea breezes off the San Pablo Bay that lengthen the growing season and ensure abundant hangtime to fully ripen the grapes.
Harvest
2013 was one of the most idyllic growing seasons we have seen in many years, with picture-perfect weather from spring through harvest. Though late-2012 rains provided enough water to ensure adequate soil moisture, drought-like conditions throughout the 2013 growing season limited vine vigor and allowed us to further fine tune our viticultural techniques. With temperatures that were neither too hot, nor too cold, we achieved ideal ripeness, while still preserving excellent natural acidity. With no threat of rain or heat events near harvest, we were able to pick all of our fruit precisely when we wished.
Aging
100% barrel fermented, and aged for eight months in neutral French oak.
