viognier.

YALUMBA
South Australia
VIOGNIER
2006

x-fact~viognier is an ancient grape whose vines don't start hitting their peak until about 15-20 years.

yalumba viognier 2006
paid 7.98
reg. 10-11


okay, so i know i already said i wasn't so into the whites. but after two days of celebrating my kid's birthday replete with appropriately kid-satisfying, carbtastic birthday food and a trip into the big city for two-fisted burgers with all the trimmings, my stomach was begging for something "light."

you may have already guessed i would not be reaching for the peppermint tea. in the world i live in, "light" means white instead of red.

the main criteria for choosing this wine was simply that i had not had it before and at its sale price it was the cheapest wine in the cold case. it doesn't take much. in fact, i don't think it takes any. thing. at all, but that's not much of a story now is it?

right off the bat, out of the bottle, i realized i may have misjudged this wine as just another girly white entirely. the legs on the wine are incredible for a white. hmm. and at first drink, there is the cool crispness of a white, but a hearty depth. double hmmm. perhaps my stomach wasn't going to get its break after all? perhaps i had made a mistake in my choice for the evening?

though mistakes and choices didn't matter so much after the second and third sip. ah, the hallmark of a good wine. ah, lucky me.

it's sweet, to be sure. frankly more sweet than i generally like and was looking for this evening. or ever. but this wine works in its sweetness. the crispness of an italian white table wine blended with the creaminess of a california chardonnay.

and it smells like a just sweet enough, drinkable heaven. i can't describe the smell, but you'll know it when you're lucky enough to smell it. and i daresay, for this wine the more than proper term is aroma, and not smell. well, then.

it brings to mind a less cloying ethiopian honey wine or japanese plum wine. just the sweet and just the cold and just *the* complement to a hot and spicy dish. and though i haven't asked them, i'm sure a dash of awaze or smear of wasabi would be more than happy to share the palate with this wine.

as with all whites (that don't bring a headache right away, of course), one could casually sip away a sunny afternoon with a bottle of this.

but, like very few whites (that don't bring a headache right away, of course), one could close down the evening with this wine.

a long evening at a long table filled with friendly faces where the remnants of a delicious dinner served family style still remain. everyone stuffed just a bit too much but the food is so delicious who can stop? so maybe just a small spoonful more. every one stuffed just a bit too much but the food is so delicious who can stop? so maybe just a bit more on the fingertip for taste.

but not too stuffed, and the consent to opening yet one more bottle of chilled viognier is unanimous. and glasses at the ready and quickly at the tipping, the meal and the evening are brought to a delicious, aromatic, and satisfying end.

i am impressed and charmed and surprised by this wine.

this is a white that drinks like a red. a liquid yin and yang if you will.

and frankly if ever there was a more ringing endorsement, for a white or otherwise, i haven't yet thought of one.

cheers, mate!

x.