Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Heartland Viognier & Pinot Gris

Heartland Wines
Viognier & Pinot Gris
South Australia
Dulwich, Australia

2007
13.5%
$12.54 -- Costco, Austin, TX

Color: Light to medium straw; oddly uninspiring
Nose: Aggressive apricot and something smoky; a little beach ball, a little lime
Body: Medium to full
Front: Peach
Middle: Lime, honeydew
Back: Lemon, spearmint
Burns clean?:
Cap: Screwcap

The varietal experimentation with whites continues. This time it's a blend of Viognier (77%) and Pinot Gris (23%). I'm not a big Pinot Gris fan, I must admit--few are the Pinots Gris that I will review on this blog, unless something extraordinary happens to my tastes!

But this is an interesting wine. It has charm; there are subtle flavors lurking in the mid-to-end palate.  You might not taste these if the wine is served too cold, though--still, I think it would please a lot of people and it doesn't have the acetone flavor one sometimes gets with Pinot Gris. It's good with brie and smoked almonds, unsurprisingly; it might be nice with fish, too, with it's fruitiness and nice balance.