Fall Release Hoppe-Kelly Vineyard Lia Viognier
2005

Winemaker’s Notes

Our fourth Viognier from the Hoppe Family vineyard is a strong addition to the great run of wines which started as a fun in-house project in 2002. Harvested at the highest maturity yet, we have seen that increasing ripeness, to the edge of super-concentration, really brings the exotic character of the variety to the fore. Luckily the fruit at this site is able to retain sufficient acidity and minerality so that the wines do not come across as ponderous and clumsy. This year we have increased the time in barrel on the lees to a full eleven months as the wine remained tight and unyielding after seven months, primarily due to the inherent concentration that comes from mature, hillside vines which naturally crop at two tons per acre. We also chose to block the malolactic fermentation to favor freshness and palate length in the presence of so much fruit extract. Inevitably as fun projects go, next year we will expand our Viognier offering as we introduce a second component to the blend, a high-elevation young vineyard on very thin soils that we think holds great promise.

Pale gold color. Intense aromas of honeyed peach, apricot and tighter minerals. The palate opens with pungent minerals, fragrant lemongrass and chamomile notes before the concentrated core of sweet tropical fruits takes over. Strong natural acidity cuts through the richness to extend the long, clean finish. As with all our whites, serve at no cooler than 55 degrees to allow full flavor development. Drink within three years of release.

Andy Smith