2009 DEWN Paso Robles Viognier

$20 per bottle / $216 per case
$17 per bottle / $192 per case (Members)

Even for us this white carries an unusual story. The fruit is from cuttings from our original estate vineyard in Bonny Doon (which unfortunately succumbed to Pierce’s disease in '91) grown at Chequera Vineyard in Paso Robles. One unfortunate problem was the teensy, weensy fact that the white vines we thought were roussanne turned out to viognier—and what proceeds is a long and tragic story of a visionary winemaker's hopes and dreams dashed on the adamantine hard rocks of French A.C. misinformation, commerce, litigation, and sharpshooting insects.

Very light in color and surprisingly delicate in body, the '09 blooms with pretty floral, citrus, and melon aromas. More restrained than most, our translation of this exotic Northern Rhône white offers a rich set of flavors, including apple blossom, lavender, pear, casaba melon, and notes reminiscent of daiginjo sake. Overall, a crisp white with a distinctive savory character.

Vital Statistics
Appellation: Paso Robles
Vineyard: Chequera
Blend: Biodynamic^® 100% viognier
Alcohol by Volume: 14.3%
Residual Sugar: 3.3 g/L
Cellaring: 0-3 years from release (Mar. 2010)
Production: 519 cases
Certified Biodynamic^®