The Right White for the Big Bird

Not so many years ago, the Viognier grape, whose fragrant, harmonious white wines I have come to admire so greatly, almost disappeared from the earth.

Planted only in the northern Rhone, Viognier proved over the years to be hard to grow and hard to sell, so French vineyardists were doing to Viognier what vineyardists do everywhere: replacing it with more popular varieties. By the early 1980s, Viognier vines totaled only some 50 to 80 acres (depending on the source) in France.

Add to this equation some enterprising California vineyardists who recognized that we were not growing the major Rhone varieties here. Joseph Phelps, whose very successful Napa Valley winery made its name on Cabernet Sauvignon and late-harvest white wines, decided to pursue grapes like Syrah, the major red of the Rhone, and Viognier, the most highly prized of the Rhone whites.

His plantings in the ‘80s, and those that quickly followed at the hands of Josh Jensen at Calera and John Alban at his tiny estate in the Edna Valley, proved rather quickly that California looked like a place where Viognier could flourish.

It has been only about 10 years since the first Viogniers hit stores here, yet the early success of those few has led to the planting of some 1,200 acres of vines and to the appearance of the varietal under some 60 labels.

Admittedly, quantities are not large and prices are not low. But, Viognier is still growing in popularity for one simple reason: It tastes good. It is fruity, favoring the tropical and floral side of the taste spectrum, even though it is made totally dry to off-dry in style.

It has become the white wine of choice for us at Thanksgiving because it is easier on the palate than Chardonnay, and our invading hordes (this year numbering a couple of dozen coming from as far away as Vancouver and Boston) love the flavor.

It scores very high on the Mrs. Olken “slurpy” scale and my brother Richard’s “intensity” scale. And though I personally prefer a medium-bodied Zinfandel or a rich Pinot Noir at Thanksgiving, I find that even my mother-in-law, who used to insist on White Zinfandel, likes Viognier.

None of those worthies cares a fig for grape acreage or a historical perspective on Viognier. They simply like to drink it.

$ * * 1997 Benziger Winery “Imagery Series, River Ranch Vineyards,” Alexander Valley, $18. First and foremost, I want Viognier to display its bold, ripe fruit, and that is what this wine does from first sniff to lasting aftertaste. Its peachy, succulent aromas are followed on the palate by a supple, viscous texture and by flavors that have even more volume than the nose. Like many Viogniers, it is a little high in alcohol and shows a trace of heat in the finish. Yet rich chicken or seafood dishes will bring out all the deep, inviting character this one has to offer.

1997 Bianco Di Paso, Paso Robles, $16.50. Steve Rasmussen, who doubles as the winemaker for the very successful Talley Vineyards, has been producing some rather interesting wines for his own label. This one is a bit too heavy for my taste, but it is worth noting because it captures all the weight and extract of Viognier, albeit at the expense of the grape’s fruit. Still, it is spicy and full-bodied, and it would make a decent partner to savory seafoods. It probably would not satisfy any of my family, save for Richard and his “bigger is better” palate.

* 1997 Bonterra Vineyards, North Coast, $17. This Fetzer product is noteworthy for its vital, youthful fruit, and though the wine is not so rich or deep as many of the leading Viogniers, it is smooth and polished on the palate with plenty of length to its spry, slightly flowery flavors.

* 1997 Frick Winery, Dry Creek Valley, $21. This nicely fruity offering puts a good first foot forward with its enticing aromas of ripe peaches, apricots and a subtle suggestion of oak. Its juicy, slightly tropical flavors are equally inviting, but the wine is just a bit short and slightly bitter in the finish. Rather than choosing this one as a predinner quaffer, we would serve it with simply prepared white fish or chicken breasts.

* 1998 Gregory Graham Winery, Napa Valley, $27. A bit expensive for this survey, given its one-star rating, the wine merits a mention here because it comes from one of Viognier’s most accomplished producers. Its varietally correct characteristics of peach and jasmine are complemented by citrusy tones of orange and lime, but a bit of later palate heat brings a somewhat ragged edge to the finish. Still, like a great many Viogniers, it has the inner stuffing to make a very fine impression when served with slightly spicy chicken or meaty fish dishes.

* * 1997 Jaffurs Wine Cellars, Santa Barbara County, $23. Fresh, clean and mildly oaky, this full-bodied, palate-coating wine is long on richness with well-ripened flavors of pear and lime. Balanced by a bit of finishing acidity, and brightened and made more vital for it, this wine wins full plaudits for depth, density and liveliness.

* 1998 Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Napa Valley, $30. Among the top producers of Viognier, Phelps has almost always made a lighter fruit-oriented wine. But, in the very tardy harvest of 1998, the winery has taken its fully ripened grapes and given us a somewhat heavier rendition that is full, fat and viscous on the palate. With richness exceeding fruit, this one needs drinking in the near term.

* * 1998 Pride Mountain Vineyards, Sonoma County, $32. The challenges of the 1998 harvest in Pride’s mountaintop vineyard were evident for all to see when I visited there in early November last year. Grapes were hanging everywhere, and it was clear that the wines of all varieties were going to be a little different. The Pride Viognier has turned out to be incredibly deep in ripeness and fruit with notes of honey and of tropical juices. It also carries a light but evident edge of sweetness not common in table wines and not at all common in Viognier. Yet the wine is so deep and so delicious that it will be enjoyed in almost any white-wine setting save for serving with tangy seafoods. It is among our top choices for Thanksgiving because it is going to be a treat for everyone from my mother-in-law to my brother--and two more disparate palates rarely show up at anyone’s table.

Definition of Symbols

* * * A world-class wine, superb by any measure, the top 1% to 2% of all wines tasted.

* * An exceptional wine, well worth the effort to find, 10% to 12% of wines tasted.

* An admirable wine, tasty, focused, attractive, about 25% of wines tasted.

No Rating: The best are quite pleasant and can be good buys when moderately priced.

$ Good value for the money.

x Below average quality, to be avoided.