Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2016

We'd like to know who the clever chap or chappess was who took a cutting in 1980 of Rhone-native Viognier - an all but extinct grape variety back then - took it Down Under and planted it in the cool slopes of the Eden Valley.

If we saw them now, we'd doff our caps, because Viognier does extraordinarily well here, producing wines like this apricot nectar, lifted honeysuckle and orange oil-tinted apricot bomb and we like them very much indeed.

Yalumba were pioneers in the growing and making of Viognier in Australia. Back in 1980, when Viognier was all but extinct in the world, Yalumba began an intriguing journey to become one of the most influential producers of Viognier in the world. When Yalumba began its love affair with this exotic Rhone varietal it was the slightly elevated slopes of Eden Valley that were considered the ideal site for planting Viognier vines, becoming home to Australia’s first significant Viognier vineyard.

“Having worked with Viognier now for over 25 years, we find the best results are achieved when we intervene as little as possible in the fermentation and aging process. Natural indigenous vineyard yeasts play a key role in allowing the flavours and textures to express themselves to the full,” says winemaker Louisa Rose.

After harvest, 60% of the fruit was gently pressed directly to barrels, the rest to a stainless steel tank. The juice was handled with passive oxidation, allowing the wine to ferment with indigenous yeasts natural to the vineyard. The wine was left on lees that, with regular batonage over 10 months, increased the complexity and creaminess of the wine and further heightened the palate weight. At blending, the barrels of wine that did not made the Virgilius blend were also included in the assemblage.

The Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2011 is perfumed and luscious – displaying all the essence of the Viognier variety. It has pure aromas of apricot nectar, lifted honeysuckle and orange oil perfume. The palate is long, rich and luscious, with intense stone fruit – particularly apricots – and finishing with an aromatic citrus freshness. This wine will continue to grow and develop in the bottle firstly showing enhanced apricots and spice, then after a couple of years developing honey flavours and toast. A wonderful food wine - try it with Moroccan tagine.

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