Instead of waiting here
in Southern California for weather cold enough to freeze grapes,
we took very ripe viognier grapes from Roll Ranch to a commercial
freezer to make our ice wine. When the grapes were properly frozen,
we whisked them to the winery, put them in the press, and squeezed
out what we could-which wasn't much. But the juice that did come
out of the press was extremely sweet (42% sugar) because a lot
of water, in the form of ice crystals, was left behind with the
grape skins. This ultra-concentrated nectar was drained into older
barrels and fermented until the combination of alcohol and sugar
killed the yeast. The finished wine is well over 26% sugar and
only about 10% alcohol.
What is more, the aromas
knock you out with their exuberant flowery viognier character.
I think this varietal is ideally suited for dessert wine, partly
because it is so pretty! The flavor gives another blast of fruit.
The middle palate impression is unctuous and syrupy sweet-but
the acidity in the finish gives the wine a marvelous balance.
This wine is a stunning match with fruit desserts.