Viognier is a tricksy grape. Sometimes it can be so heady as to be overwhelming and sometimes, like this time, it can be so evasive as to be unknowable. The Millton Clos de St. Anne Gisborne Viognier 2006 wasn't giving up much. Closed down and hiding and hinting. Dry and spicy on the nose with bay leaf and cinnamon and just a touch of caramel sweetness there was little in the way of floral perfume or ripeness. The palate had some good, glycerol weight backed up with apricot and lemon but after half a glass Rich gave up, put some cling film on the glass and went to bed. Frustrated.
Night two. Well sunny afternoon really and finally the wine fills out. The expected ripe fruits and flowers appearing like springtime. In some ways it's too little, too late and the mineral dryness of the palate just doesn't evoke the nose. Milton are masters of the varietal white but for me the 2006 Viognier is too shy. a 1 glass wine.
Funky, savoury, almost ham-like nose totally belies the floral perfumed palate. This is a wine of contradictions. At around 2 years bottle age I'd expect less freshness and more unctuous weight. But, despite a golden colour in the glass, this viognier has a zesty, lemon youthfulness mingling with the rose and acacia perfume on the tongue. Contradictory indeed.
I realise that there has been a rather frantic surge of postings here at the outset but it's new and fun so understandable I guess.
We went shoping today for a case of interesting cheapies. Mostly to stave off repeats of last nights debarcle but also as we were feeling the pinch resulting from a lack of free wine. Usually in the hospitality game there are enough reps flogging their wares to ensure and almost constant supply of "tasting" bottles but the new job here in (almost) rural NZ has diminished that flow to less than a trickle.
We were limiting ourselves to sub-$20 bottles with the proviso that they be interesting or fun or both. First out of the case tonight was the Ti Point Viognier 2007. It's Hawkes Bay fruit despite the winery being in Matakana. Whilst Rich was declaring pears as it's primary aspect I was getting an almost creme fraiche and orange blassom nose and picking up the partial barrel ferment in a smoky mineral character. The palate unfolds with apricot and creamy yoghurt bearing out the nose and although the concentration isn't huge it's pleasant and eminantly drinkable (what wine do I not find drinkable is the problem/question). Only criticism is that the wine presents slightly hot with the lack of concentration not supporting the 13.5% alcohol.
I love the story behind this vineyard. Having three generations of women involved in making wines seems right somehow and a feminine aspect is really apparent in their red wines. I've been seduced by the backstory but I definitely like what's in the bottle too.....
In the end just had to write an adendum for this wine. Despite purporting to be food friendly the lack of concentration had it struggling with pumpkin and onion mash and roasted carrots. I've usually felt pretty safe matching viognier with root veg and was surpised that the Ti Point couldn't handle their roasty, oily sweetness... Ah well... good quaffer
Another slow night at the coal face gave me a chance to sip a little whilst polishing glasses. Last night there was about half a bottle of Alan McCorkindale Cuvee Rose 2002 looking for a glass. It's a lovely delicate pink in the glass and the nose is clean with a fresh fruitiness. All the mouthwatering acidity of strawberries on the palate, without the candyfloss element that destroys the refreshing-ness of rose, and a nice firm kind of creaminess coming from the autolysis. Lovely. I'd give some more technical description if I had any but I don't know much about this local bubbles and this was the first time I had come across it.
After work. The Elephant Hill Viognier 2007. Less than half a bottle so I hogged it and made Rich drink beer. Another delicate wine. I've had this before after we got given a bottle to try when we visited the building site that's going to become their winery. I have a feeling that this wine has won an award recently and it's certainly a nice example of the varietal, although it lacks the pungent, florid vinosity of Condrieu or Yalumba's Virgilius. Strangely it puts me in mind of the Cable Bay Gewurtraminer with an almost chalky muscat note. Like pink smoker lollies. But other Viognier traits are in there too. Soft white flowers and apricot on the nose and the palate is starting to develop that lovely oily texture to support the full flavour of white stonefriut. Enjoyable.
Just realised that I'd posted without really delving in to the realm of food matching which is the bread and butter of my trade (literally). We'd opened the Elephant Hill to match the second course in an evening degustation. The dish was scallops with spiced eggplant puree and saffron sauce. In some ways I dislike pairing wine and food when you start with the food as the liquid in the bottle is finite whereas the food can (should) be tweaked and adjusted. I also dislike pairing wine and food when I've not tasted the food but I'm not sure these American guests were that worried about sublime combinations. On an intellectual level then....
Viognier may not be a classic match with scallops but I find the perceived sweetness of the two balances nicely. Mostly I was hoping to mimic the creamy texture of the spiced eggplant puree with a creamy textured wine without reaching for the ubiquitous Chardonnay and avoiding the inherent acidity of that grape. There's an underlying spiciness in most Viognier (subtle but there in the Elephant Hill) which should keep up with the spices in the puree and the almond kernel savouriness on the palate of the wine is in line with saffron as a flavour in the dish. Not bad.
Oh and the Americans really liked the wine. Again, not sure they were that worried about the two together but it does speak volumes about the likeability of Elephant Hill Viognier. Delicate, creamy and yummy.
