Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThe 2020 Viognier is absolutely gorgeous. It presents a compelling interplay of varietal flavors and textures, with striking persistence and freshness to wrap it all together. Beautifully balanced and layered, with lovely oiliness, the Pride Viognier is a winner. Best After 2021
The 2020 Viognier opens with notes of peach blossoms, fresh Bosc pears and applesauce, plus hints of fennel seed, allspice and baking bread. The medium to full-bodied palate has a compelling oiliness to the texture with loads of spiced apples and pear flavors, lifted by a zippy line of freshness, finishing long and savory.
I always love the Viognier from this estate. Their 2020 Viognier reveals a light gold hue as well as classic Viognier orange blossom, honeyed peach, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied (almost medium to full-bodied), it has plenty of richness and depth, a round, lush texture, and a clean, dry finish, all making for a quality, outstanding Viognier from Sonoma. Drink bottles over the coming year or two.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.
Full-figured and charmingly floral, Viognier is one of the most important white grapes of the northern Rhône where it is used both to produce single varietal wines and as an important blending grape. Look for great New World examples from California, Oregon, Washington and cooler parts of Australia. Somm Secret—Viognier plays a surprisingly important role in the red wines of Côte Rôtie in the northern Rhône. About 5% Viognier is typically co-fermented with the Syrah in order to stabilize the color, and as an added benefit, add a subtle perfume.