WTN: Miner Family Viognier 2004.

[Bob Ross]

Miner Family Viognier 2004 Simpson Vineyard, California. 14.3% alcohol. $22.50 at Endless Vines in Franklin Lakes. According to Miner, sourced from John Simpson’s low-yielding vineyards in Madera.

Lovely forward orange blossoms, persimmons and peaches, sharp but rounded acidity, medium mouth feel, long finish, mineral notes. Very pleasant wine. 4*.

[Jenise]

Great report! Now go open another with tomato bisque sprinkled with gorgonzola cheese. A to-die for combination.

[Bob Ross]

That works for me. Let's see what the boss thinks. :-)

[Jenise]

Seriously, never would have thought of it. There's nothing about either that mentally suggests that they should be paired up. But that's what I was serving as a starter course one night when one of several dinner guests, Jim Dietz, brought a Miner Viognier, and that's where it fit best in the line-up of wines we were serving. The pairing was so unexpectedly perfect it had all of us bug-eyed in wonder.

[Bob Ross]

Well, Janet says I should try the combo -- in a couple of weeks when she's back in gear.

Sounds very interesting -- I'll post a recipe/tasting note report. Thanks for the unusual idea.

[Jenise]

I think you'll enjoy it. Like I said, not an intuitive match, but in fact for me it's in that rare top 2% of meant-for-each-other kind of wine/food matches--and everyone at the table agreed.

[James Dietz]

I have an emotional attachment to the Miner Viognier.. I still think it is a pretty good bottle of wine every year, though some years are better than others, as they should be. The '05 is pretty tasty.

Another one I like comes from Cedarville.

And, Jenise, I do remember that food/wine match. Another I remember was a Texier Cotes du Rhone with one of your salads. The tastes are still in my mind and mouth.

[Jenise]

Cedarville's viognier's are interesting. Bold, and stylistic an opposite of the Miner, which is admirably reticent.

Hey, I now own Arcadian. Bought 01 Pisoni, Lafond, Gary's and the plain Santa Maia.

[James Dietz]

The SMV is ready to drink (that's not an '01 too, is it?? not '03), and the Garys' is, to my taste, excellent.. I bought quite a few of those. The Pisoni could probably sit a while...The Lafond, I don't know...

Let me know how you like them!!