The UnCorker

2007 Seven Hills Viognier

Very interesting selection, and to deploy an underused term in wine criticism - delicious.  It pairs with some unlikely food choices for a wine from a place named Walla Walla, Washington – spicy Spanish garlic soup with paprika, saffron, and cumin and a salad with strongly spiced garlic sumac red wine vinegar dressing. This has a potent and full bouquet of ripe peach with spicy, citrusy notes and finishes with an uncanny resemblance to an orange Creamsicle.  It’s soft and full, yet  maintains it’s crispness and air of complexity.  The wine is deeply colored due to barrel aging, but not overoaked.  At around $18, it’s a great and classy alternative to any California chardonnay you’ll find in this price range.  It’s a great evening opener, as the acid profile is soft and welcoming, which does give the wine some limits when it comes to food pairing.  For instance, a beautiful stinky epoisse cheese was no match, the cheese prevailed leaving the wine feeling soft, flabby, and without nuance.