WBW#20: Off the Beaten Path Whites

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Wbwlogo Wine Blogging Wednesday #20 has arrived. This month’s theme is Off the Beaten Path Whites (i.e., anything but Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauv Blanc, and no blends). I was able to shop at home this time around, as we had a nice Cline Viognier just waiting to be opened.

We’re not very familiar with Viognier and based on my notes, this was our first. We picked it up at the Cline winery last July, as it was perfect during our tasting on that warm July day.

Wine: Cline Viognier, 2004, Sonoma County

If you want to know how it tastes, you really need to click the link to read more.

The wine has a lovely pale golden hue in the glass. It was very inviting and eventually I’ll put my finger on exactly of what the color reminded me. The scent reached me before I even started swishing it around in the glass. There were a lot of floral scents in the wine, accompanied by orange. Kevin picked out apple as well.

The taste was surprisingly light and refreshing. Maybe because we’ve been drinking heavier wines this winter, but I think we were both expecting something heavier. The lightness of this wine – while not as light as a typical Sauv Blanc – was refreshing. We could taste all sorts of fruit. Definitely peach and orange. When you hold the wine in the back of your mouth for a minute and pay attention, there’s a fruity kick, with some spice. As the evening progressed and the wine opened up a little more, I really began to taste the citrus, with orange and lemon coming to the fore. Kevin was impressed by how crisp this wine seemed.

This was a $9 bottle of wine. What a great value! I called this a comfort white, if that makes sense. It made me wish I could sit on a front porch on a perfect and crisp fall day, drinking this wine. It’s a comfortable white, no matter what the season, and definitely a great value. I’m glad we tried the Viognier. I’ll definitely be seeking out more.

Wine Blogging Wednesday this month is hosted by the Wine for Newbies Podcast and Blog. Be sure to check in over there to see the round-up of everyone who participated!

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