Tried this last night w/ Susan:
1. Failla Viognier AlbanVnyd/EdnaVlly (14.5%) 2004: Med.gold/orange color; light smokey/oak ripe floral/pineapply/peachy/Viog slight Mosel valve oil/slatey/minerally beautiful complex nose; very tart/lean minerally/chalky very perfumed/floral/pineapply/pechy/Viog light pungent/toasty/oak some Mosel valve oil complex flavor; very long/lingering tart/lean/austere floral/pineapply/peachy/Viog some minerally/slatey/chalky slight valve oil complex finish; almost like an AltoAdige Riesling than a Calif Viog; very unusual rendition of Calif Viog; nose & flavors suggest a high level of ripeness but the palate has a laser-like focus and the alcohol is not at all evident; probably will go on another five yrs or more.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I'm a huge fan of EhrenJordan's Failla line of wines. Sometimes his whites can be a little on the overripe side; especially the (Turley) WhiteCoat. But every now and then he hits one outta the park. This is one such wine. One of the most unusual renditions of Viog from Calif I've had. It has a ripeness level in the nose & flavor that suggests it's going to be a fat & porky Viog, as some of the Alban's can sometimes be. But it's bright & lively & minerally on the palate and belies the ripe character. A very interesting/outstanding Viog like few others I've tasted.
I find many of Ehren's wine lie out on the wings of the bell curve. I would absolutely love to see what his rendition of Riesling or GWT would be like. And especially Nebbiolo; though Monktown attourneys assure us that Nebbiolo is a failure in Calif.
Tom