It’s all about peach, melon, honey, and floral traces in its bouquet. And this wonderful assortment of tastes all combine to make Pine Ridge’s Chenin Blanc ~ Viognier the perfect “cocktail wine”, just the thing for a round of appetizers before dinner.
Pine Ridge has been producing this blend for quite a few years after they discovered it almost by accident. That “accident” is what makes is so unusual. We don’t get too many opportunities to taste Chenin Blanc anyway, but when they add the Viognier, it just creates a totally wonderful spectrum of balanced flavors.
The winery sources the grapes that go into this wine from two widely separated parts of the Northern California coast. This creates a wine that is approachably bright but with a lingering mellowness that is very distinctive. You may want to compare it with a French Chenin Blanc just to appreciate what they have done with this. It’s truly an American!
This combination of soft fruitiness also makes it quite desirable as a drink-anytime wine. So if you want to keep something a little different on hand, you should stock up whenever they are available. You can usually find it at one of our Phoenix area World Market stores for under $15, and like other uniquely flavored white blends, it tends to be seasonal.
Chill in the fridge for about 40 minutes before serving (55-60 degrees). Its peach and melon flavors should jump right out of the glass unless it is served really cold. It will age a little, but should be consumed within two years of the vintage.
Article by Tom Peiffer, Phoenix Wine Shopping Examiner at Examiner.com
View more of Tom’s articles on Examiner.com by visiting his writer’s page.
