Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 75cl

Yalumba, the pioneer of Viognier in Australia, has devoted 20 years to the growing and making of this rare and exotic Rhone variety. The distinguished Vaughan family vineyard, originally planted by Yalumba in 1980, is acknowledged as the first significant Viognier resource in Australia.

"Viognier is incredibly challenging and demands handling with kid gloves," says Yalumba winemaker, Louisa Rose. "It's unpredictable, difficult to grow and the yields are low. The variety always has the ability to surprise you - one day the grapes on the vine are dull and flavourless, yet the very next day there'll be the explosion of musky apricot characters that make it so appealing."

It would have been hard to have planned a more perfect Eden Valley vintage. After a lovely wet Spring and early summer the vines were healthy and strong, and set good conservative crops. The lack of any heat spikes in February, combined with cool nights meant that the vines, under no stress, accumulated sugars quickly while retaining natural acid. The result was a quick, clean and early vintage, and some gorgeous white wines.

The mild ripening season has lead to intense and aromatic aromas and flavours in the Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2006. It's a pale gold in colour with green highlights. The nose displays aromas of apricot nectar, with lifted honeysuckle and orange oil perfume. A long, rich and luscious palate, with intense stone fruit flavours, particularly white peach and apricot, finishing with an aromatic citrus freshness.

After harvest about 60% of the fruit was gently pressed directly to barrels, the remainder to a stainless steel tank. The juice was handled with passive oxidation, allowing the wine to ferment with indigenous yeasts, natural to the vineyard. The wine was left on lees, which with regular batonage for 9 months increased the complexity and creaminess of the wine and further heightened the palate weight.