A dense & expressive white with an innate quality of easy sophistication, this is a Viognier with its moon in Loire Valley Chenin: plush, round & in no way cloying. A judicious touch of oak-aging gives us opulent texture without the overbearing flavour profile, allowing the essence of the grape to take centre stage.
More than anything, this is a wine about fruit: think mango gelato, sparkling IKEA pear drink (if you know you know), caramelized pineapple, or a crystal goblet of tropical fruit salad eaten on a hotel patio in Capri. The mouthfeel is like wearing satin pyjamas while sleeping on satin bedsheets, & its endless finish simply longs to stun alongside any creamy fish dish.
GOOD FOR —
Gazing at a sunset so staggeringly beautiful you forget to take a picture
The most delicate butter-poached lobster tails
Finally proving to your mother-in-law that there’s more to life than California Chardonnay
Drinking out of your finest Zalto while slinking around your apartment calling everyone “dahhhling” (even/especially your cat)
• Vintage: 2017
• Grapes: 100% Viognier
• Appellation: Okanagan Valley Region, Naramata Bench
• ABV: 13.3%
• Acidity: 6.10 g/l tartaric acid
• pH: 3.48
• Aging/Maturation (Fermentation): Fermented in barrels, aged for eight months in a stainless steel tank. 33% new oak.
• Recommended Drinking: Now through 2027
Throw in the fridge for 30 minutes, open and drink when cold. Keep on ice as you drink, or let the temperature come up as you get through the bottle to experience some of the more subtle notes of the wine.
THE STORY BEHIND THE WINE
THE SAVANT
How do you negotiate with a savant? You can try, but be wary. Warm weather and sandy beaches can dull your senses. Or maybe it was the mojitos.
500 rupees... 400!!! I almost forgot what it was for, but boogie boards on the ocean were essential. In the end at 450 we had the deal of the century.
An unexpected moment later, torrential rain, and we rushed for cover. We found Simon smiling smugly as the rain slowed to a trickle. “70 minutes sir, 600.” Just like that, our epic story died. A deal was a deal, and we were no longer kings.
As we walked away, he yelled out, “Tree fall down!!” The rain had taken a palm tree down, and he stood beside it proudly. A metaphor for our brashness. This place was a lesson in humility.