This wine is made from unblended, 100% estate-grown, cellared,
and bottled grapes. The color is golden straw. The nose evokes
notes of honey, violets, and casaba. In the month, the hints
of tropical fruits, honeysuckle, and a certain mineraly-ness
combine in a lovely mouthfeel that is not buttery. (Viognier
and Chardonnay are very different!) The summery finish is moderately
short with an appearance of sweetness although there is no residual
sugar. Enjoy well chilled.
The Vintage
The 2005 growing season was wetter than normal by 23%, with
36 inches total rain: 24" in November and December, plus
less than 4" in January and February, led into an early
spring and budbreak. A cold and wet April, however, delayed fruitset.
Summer was nice enough, followed by a hot spell in September;
we began harvest mid-month.
Fermentation and Aging
Picked by hand and whole cluster pressed a few hours later.
The juice was settled overnight, then transferred to six neutral
French oak and four stainless barrels for fermentation and 11
months of aging. 241 cases were bottled in July 2006.
The Vineyard
Two acres of Viognier planted in our Finley Vineyard in 1999.
Finely, named after early settlers, is a 7-acre vineyard in the
estern slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The unirrigated, south-facing
vineyard is on a knoll with soils that change from gravel to shallow
clay as the vineyard descends from 800 to 750 feet.
