2008 Napa Valley Viognier

Out of our long and well-regarded history with Rhône varietals

THE 2008 GROWING SEASON produced modest yields and incredible wines for Stags’ Leap. This year marked the second season of drought in the Napa Valley. There was virtually no rainfall in the spring, and precipitation was down 60 percent for the year. Summer produced cool, consistent temperatures and the dry conditions forced the vines to focus on fruit development rather than leaf production producing a wonderfully concentrated crop. A brief warm spell around Labor Day added the boost of sugar development that we were looking for to complement the acid structure that we were seeing. The fruit for the Stags’ Leap Viognier comes from vineyards that are planted to the rocky soils of Stanly Ranch Vineyard in Carneros.

Viognier has been used as part of the final Petite Syrah blend for the past fourteen years, but it wasn’t until 1998 that the wine found its own bottle. Harvested by hand, the fruit was whole cluster pressed and fermented in neutral French oak barrels. It was then aged on the lees and stirred every two weeks for eight months. This wine is completely dry, and does not go through malolactic fermentation to preserve the delicate floral aromas and fruit characteristics.

The 2008 Stags’ Leap Viognier features luscious aromas of fresh pear, guava, honeysuckle and orange blossom. On the palate, flavors of tangerine, pear and lime zest are wrapped around a rich, unctuous texture. The exceptionally long finish is punctuated by a vibrant acidity and notes of white peach and lemon blossom.