2019 K Viognier is another craftily made wine from K Vintners and visionary Charles Smith.
Charles made his name by producing powerful single-vineyard Washington reds, yet he continued for over two decades: pushing the envelope and helping the Washington wine industry grow. Viognier is his latest passion.
2019 K Viognier Art Den Hoed Vineyard
In the Bottle
2019 K Viognier is a 100% Viognier from Art Den Hoed Vineyard in Yakima Valley of Washington. The yield is only 2.9 tons per acre.
Why does it matter? The smaller the yield means fewer grape bunches on each wine and results in a more concentrated flavor in the wine. For reference, some vineyards can harvest as much as 10 plus tons per acre.
The grapes were whole-cluster pressed, and it’s another sign of quality. It means that grapes were gently pressed to avoid getting bitter green tannin from the stems.
The fermentation happened with native yeast, and new wine was aged in 50% concrete and 50% neutral barrels. This approach helps to maintain the wine character unaltered and show off the terroir it came from.
Additionally, wine was barrel-aged four months on lees to give it an extra texture and complexity.
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In the Glass
K Viognier 2019 starts with the aromas of wildflowers and beeswax and continues with yellow apple and green peppercorns.
The lemony peach and apricot candy flavors transform into banana and mango as the wine opens up on the palate.
Finish
The pleasant finish is filled with apricot and peach flavors. The full-bodied and almost oily texture of the wine is balanced by sensible acidity.
If you’re a fan of Viognier, you might have fund blind-tasting K Viognier 2019 with a French interpretation of this varietal.
For pairing, we would recommend Spicy Riesling Pork or Lamb Stew Provencal. The acidity and fruit in wine can complement the spiciness of pork and withstand the richness of the lamb.
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