2016 Viognier Lia

The 2016 Viognier Wild Mountainside features ripe apricots, spiced pears and apple butter scents with touches of nutmeg, clover honey and jasmine. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals an appealing oiliness to the texture and loads of peaches and pears flavors plus a spicy kick to the finish.

I was pretty much blown away by the 2016 Viognier Wild Mountainside, which is up with some of the best expressions of this variety coming out of the New World. Flower oil, pineapple, apricot and some tropical notes all flow from a deep, rich, concentrated Viognier that stays vibrant and fresh. It’s a dead ringer for a Condrieu from the likes of Vernay or André Perret. I still remember tasting with Andy Smith while I was writing The Rhône Report and I was thrilled to be able to sit down and go through all of his wines on this occasion. Stylistically, Smith makes a fresh, vibrant style of wine, yet I never find them lacking for depth and or texture. Looking at the Chardonnays, these are made in a reductive, age-worthy style and the clear majority have distinctly Burgundian profiles. These are beautiful wines that, at least to my palate, surpass the quality of the Pinot Noirs, which are slightly more variable. Nevertheless, the top Pinot Noirs are certainly up with the crème de la crème of the region. While Andy favors a tight, age-worthy style of Chardonnay, the Pinot Noirs are made in a slightly more forward style. In addition to the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, DuMOL also produces a handful of world-class Syrahs, as well as one of the top examples of Viognier coming out of California. Both the 2015s and 2016s reviewed here are terrific wines, with the 2016s showing slightly more balance and elegance, but you can’t go wrong with either vintage here.