2014 Chalk Hill Chairman's Viognier
Tasting Notes
2014 was a fabulous year, giving us wines of both finesse and
concentration. We brought in a bountiful crop of very tasty fruit. Our
2014 Viognier displays delightful floral aromas of honeysuckle, and
jasmine with stone fruit notes on the forefront. The palate is rich and
viscous with a bright acidity that complements its flavors of
honeysuckle, white peach, and freshly sliced nectarine.
Winemaker Notes
Viognier is an interesting grape variety for a number of reasons. Right now, I’m fixated on the name
itself (pronounced “vee-ohn-yay”) so I’m doing a little research. Although this is debatable, the name is
derived from Via Gehennae which is Latin for “Road of the Valley of Hell.” Our Viognier vines look
happy, healthy and they produce a good amount of fruit so I think whoever named it that was a bit harsh
and extreme… or maybe they just hadn’t seen our vines! These vines are located on a section of vineyard
at the back of the property where they can thrive in soil that is deep with cobblestones. There’s nothing
hellacious about any of those things and this wine is highly aromatic with notes of peaches, pears, and
perfume.This 2014 Viognier is actually a lovely wine, so maybe next year we’ll change the name to Via
Amor – it seems more appropriate.
Other Notes
100% Viognier
Wine Specs
Vintage
2014
Varietal
Viognier
Appellation
Chalk Hill
Harvest Date
September 10, 2014
Sugar
25.8° Avg. Brix at harvest
Acid
6.0 g/L
pH
3.77
Aging
9 months in 100% French oak, all neutral
Fermentation
Cultured and native yeast fermentation bi-weekly bâtonnage; No malolactic
Bottling Date
May 22, 2014
Alcohol %
15.7
Vineyard Notes
Viognier is well suited to Chalk Hill Estate. Our climate is warm
enough to fully ripen this Rhone native, yet cool enough to ensure
structure and liveliness. Our Viognier comes from the P Lyre Block on
our estate. This site allows the grapes to reach their optimal ripeness
and are picked and handled with great care during the winemaking
process.