~$32US, 50% Muscat / 50% Viognier, Cotes de Catalanes, SW France

Ok - I will start by saying that I’ve never tasted anything like this - wine or otherwise. Rich golden color. Popped and sniffed and was utterly confused. Cheap corn oil, sulfur, The Holland tunnel exhaust fans, and pears. I was prepared for some funkiness, but this was insane - very little here resembling a beverage made from fermented grapes. I decanted and came back an hour later. Still funky diesel and corn oil. After 2 hours, things starting fitting together better.

At 3 hours it really started singing. The funk blew off and integrated into a pleasant smoky undertone. Dried flowers and ginger with burned lemon components…like a lemon creme brulee, slightly over-torched. Weighty on the palate - the viognier component is oily and mouth-filling yet the impression is very fresh and vibrant. Well-balanced with a fresh bias towards acidity. Sipper-and-a-thinker. Fundamentally complex and multi-layered. Apple skins, mint, citrus explosions, fruit-wood smoke and lavender. The finish is where this really becomes Impressive $?*#! Wine in my opinion. It ties all the flavors into a lemony custard, with a defined chalky minerality and salinity. So long and smooth and effortless. Food matching might be difficult with this level of complexity - I suspect firm grilled fish and strong cheeses would pair well.

Truly unique - a bizarre transformation from something almost foul to something sublime. I think the decanting fast-forwarded what good honest cellar aging can do, so I hope to procure more of this - forget about it for a decade and see what happens. Not for the meek or the impatient. But for the rest, a gift, and a great example of old-school ‘zen winemaking’ yielding staggeringly complex wines. Less is more.

~$16US, 100% Viognier, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

Pale gold. Very, very shy on the nose, even at room temperature, and after considerable time. A little pear and some peach nectar, and if I really try, maybe some weird steel and floral notes. It does have a nice fresh mouthfeel and overall palate balance - brisk acidity and an extremely satisfying, oily finish.  The palate feels very pure and clean, with a clear mineral-driven core. I like what I taste, but I grabbed a viognier because it’s typically an aromatic variety, and ironically, the only shortfall of this wine is the aromatics.

At present time it’s a closed book.  I don’t have a lot of experience with older viogniers, but I think this will develop into a more open and generous wine in 3-5 years. Because of the balance, finish, and “feel”, I believe the wine-making to be excellent - but the climate or vineyard might not be ideal for the variety - or it simply might be too young. A real head-scratcher.It has the potential for excellence, but just not yet…I  bet their syrah is very interesting.

Le Ragose Valpolicella Classico Superiore Le Sassine 2003: Leather, garlic greens, sour cherry, black pepper, dried apricots, brown sugar. Utterly delicious in an old-world way. Very complex and surprising. Classically proportioned and well-structured. Fabulous accompaniment to fresh pasta w/ vegetables.

Jean Milan Champagne Blanc de Blancs Spécial NV:Doughy nose, with seashells. A little nutty, with a bright and fresh mouthfeel.  Elegant. Fleeting finish holding this back from really rocking.

Alban Central Coast Viognier 2006: Ridiculous nose of flowers, Ivory soap, Big-League Chew, Skittles, pineapples. Brings a serious rainbow of tropical flavors. A little hot (~16% ABV) and syrupy. Coconuts, peaches, and fruit cocktail. Probably the most hedonistic white wine I’ve ever had - I loved it, other tasters were not so hot on it’s over-the top fruit ripeness.

Amisfield Central Otago Pinot Noir 2003: The 04 was excellent, and this 03 probably even better. Fragrant as all hell. More wood and tobacco notes to support the Cherry Cola / Dr. Pepper - truly one foot in the old (leafy tobacco, black olives) and one foot in the new world (big cherries). Silky in the mouth - medium-to-full bodied, but not heavy. Another stunner of a Pinot.

2006 ~$40US, 68% Roussanne and 32% Viognier, Paso Robles, CA

Chalky minerality was the first impression -  followed by peach, floral notes, and almonds on the nose. Unfortunately spritzy, and not by design. A zingy entry (tiny bubbles), revealing a full-bodied, lush and soft wine in the mouth. Peach cobbler and peach nectar (the juice from the canned fruit coctail…) notes coming through very clear. Delicious with a sweet and long finish, but lacking in acidity to give it any backbone. Great flavors, but presented in a disappointing way - it didn’t pair particularly well with food. Not a rebuy, but I am curious to try more new and old-world Roussannes and Viogniers. Possibly too young at this point - perhaps the bubbles die down with cellaring?