When Wine Surprises You

Isn’t it great when I a wine surprises you! The 2007 Veritas Viognier did just that a couple of weeks ago to Megan and I and the surprise was a good thing. Megan and I had picked this up at a tasting at Veritas Vineyards here in Virginia back in May as the result of finding nothing better on the tasting menu. Why would we buy anything you ask? Well at the time Veritas had just started a new tasting fee structure, $10 for the whites and $10 for the reds, and you got the tasting fee refunded with at least one purchase of each. So in order to not feel like were getting cheated, we purchased the Rose and the Viognier after perusing our tasting notes to see which ones were favorable. The Rose was actually quite good and the Viognier was a not so close second. 

 

I popped this open, really in the mood for a Viognier and hoping that the couple of months in my cellar put some extra love into the bottle. Well it did, or something happened because both Megan and I were shocked when we drank it.  It could have been various things, such as drinking a regular sized glass vs. a minute pour, or just being in our own comfortable house, or an actual transformation in the bottle.  Too many variables to pin it down, but nonetheless, it was a vast improvement.

 

There isn’t any info regarding processing on the Veritas website but if I remember correctly it was aged in all stainless steel takes and is all from estate grown grapes.

 

*sorry no picture of the bottle! Shame on me.

 

My Tasting Notes

Nose – Apricot, honey, peach nectar

Taste – Mineral, spice, canned pear, peach and honeydew melon

Mouthfeel – medium to full body, balanced acidity and good rich viscosity

Finish – medium length, honey and peach flavors lingered

 

All in all a very nice Viognier, and very typical of the Virginia style of producing the varietal.  At $20 it is a bit pricey, but again typical for what Virginia wineries are selling their Viognier for, some of whom are charging close to $30. Yikes!  Despite my lack luster description of their other wines, they do have a beautiful vineyard and tasting room, and is worth a visit just for the views. You can purchase this from their website if you don’t feel like making the drive or don’t live in the state.

 

Cheers!

 

Check back during the month of October as I try to review more Virginia Wines in celebration of the 20^th Anniversary of VA Wine Month.