2013 Viognier

Silver Medal - 2015 San Francisco International Wine Competition
88 points - Beverage Tasting Institute
The fruit was picked in multiple passes, then vinified in multiple lots creating layers in the wine, fermented in both stainless steel and oak barrel. Some of the wine was left on its light lees and aged 10 months in barrel (both large format 400L puncheons and 228L barrique), and blended with another lot fermented and aged completely in stainless steel.
This wine, certainly not shy aromatically nor on the palate, offers a lifted nose of jasmine, peach blossom, lime leaf, and candied ginger. On the palate the wine shows its varietal richness with a creamy full body and resonates its sense of place with a chalky texture from the sandier soils near the river bed at Refugio Ranch. Loads of quintessential apricot, citrus oil, and candied ginger accentuate the wines jovial nature providing great length, complimented with baking spice and sea salt.
Technical Information:
Soil Types: Mocho Loam - this sandy, alluvial soil is fine-grained, fertile and deposited by water flowing from the Santa Ynez River. Due to their sandy nature, there is little water retention in these soils which creates higher aromatics and density in the fruit.
Harvest Dates: August 30th - September 3rd
pH: 3.69
TA: 5.7 g/L
Bottled: June 26th, 2014
Cases Produced: 349