Saturday, February 9, 2013

Loredona Vineyards 2011 Viognier




Viognier was the first wine where I “got it.” They said “notice the aromas of peaches and apricots and white flowers” and I was like, “ok, whatever” and then I totally smelled them and suddenly wine tasting was not bullshit. So I like Viognier. I like how fragrant and fun it is. I like how it smells sweeter than it tastes. I like that 7th grade me would have thought this was the perfect perfume, because it smelled like stereotypical perfume and fruit. In class I learned that Viognier can handle oak without tasting like straight up oak because as a grape it’s so fragrant and flavorful (unlike Chardonnay, where all you get is that wood flavor).

This wine does not smell like perfume and fruit. It’s subtle and light. You get a little of that stone fruit business and a small floral note, but this is not the heady concoction philistine Ali of the past fell for hard. Honestly, this smells like white wine. How am I supposed to impress people at with that? “Yeah, you get a real white wine note on the nose,” I say, and everyone in my life leaves me. The floral note kicks up a bite on the palate, and there’s a hint of clementine, but it’s a tough nut to crack, which is not what I was hoping for when I picked up the only Viognier BevMo offered in their five cent wine sale.

The bottle is tall and interesting, but the label isn’t sexy. I’d say bring it to a party or potluck because people will see it amidst the other bottles of wine. “I brought that tall Viognier. It’s alright. Not as full as I was hoping for but nice” you can say, and then an attractive person will ask for your phone number because you are so interesting. More interesting than the wine you brought.

Pairs well with: creamy cheeses like brie, fish, chicken, Trader Joe’s low-fat spinach kale dip and pita crackers, a braided hairstyle, a peppy girl who doesn't know better, confidence


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