2005 Lucas & Lewellen Viognier, Santa Barbara Country.
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This Viognier is a light gold color with a tincture of green and excellent clarity. Aromatically, it offers light aromas of dried tropical fruit and peach. Notes of lychee, white flowers and sweet oak vanilla. There are also hints of herbal aromas suggestive of coriander. In the mouth, medium intensity tropical fruit is accented by light mandarin orange rind and lychee. Lower medium bodied with a smooth, mineral and slightly creamy mouthfeel, the wine has a a somewhat hollow mouth feel in the middle. A modest finish of citrus rind and mineral ends sweet with an oaky note. |
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14.9% Alcohol $19.00 Retail (from winery); 548 cases produced |
Aromatically intriguing to the point of suggesting a cépage which might include other perfumed varieties, this 100% Viognier is a bit soft and sweet and rather hollow at the mid-palate where is looses some tempo. Despite the number on the label, it carries the alcohol quite well. It should pair well with sweet and spicy Thai dishes over the next two years, maybe three. BOTTOM LINE: Fairly good. No serious flaws. Worth trying. |
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Production | Grapes | Producer | Vineyard | Vintage
100% Viognier from the Lucas $ Lewellen Los Alamos Valley and Valley View vineyards in Santa Barbara County. Cold fermented in steel and bottled without barrel aging.
Viognier is a Rhône variety which is rapidly becoming popular in California. In addition to being offered as a single varietal, it is often blended with Roussanne to make white Rhône blends and is also used in that region (and in California) to soften Syrah and Syrah-based red blends. It is also being experimented with in unconventional blends with Chardonnay Pinot gris and Chenin blanc. At its best, it shows perfumed floral aromas with honey and tropical fruit flavors and a rich, almost viscous mouthfeel with a prominent mineral element. Aromas and flavors typical of Viognier include: almond, acacia, anise, apricot, grapefruit, guava, honey, kiwi, mango, melon, mint, orange blossoms, pear, pineapple and tangerine as well as floral and mineral notes. (read more)
Louis Lucas is a key figure in Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County viticulture as one of the area's first commercial wine grape growers. Along with a handful other growers, he has become an iconoclast of Central Coast Viticulture. Coming from a grape growing family in the Bakersfield area, he came to Santa Barbara County in 1970 when he formed Tepusquet Vineyards with his brother George and partner Alfred Gagnon. Through a passionate pursuit of knowledge he broke many long accepted rues of viticulture and defined many new ones for the Central Coast. Royce Lewellen, a retired judge joined forces in 1996 and Lucas & Lewellen have been making wines together since. Their wines sourced from their 30+ year-old vines wines have been winning awards for a long time. Their vineyards are located in Santa Maria, Los Alamos and Santa Ynez Valleys. Daniel Gehrs has been the the winemaker at Lucas & Lewellen until 2007. Since November 2007, Megan McGrath has been serving as the chief winemaker. Gehrs, another prominent figure in the world of Santa Barbara wine, he consults to many wineries in the area and produces wines under his own label.
The Los Alamos Valley Vineyard is over a mile long, and runs along Highway 101 south of Los Alamos. Cooler than the Santa Ynez valley but cooler than the Santa Maria Valley, the intermediate climate of this area and thick layers of clay and loam soils resemble those of Pomerol (Bordeaux) This vineyard is planted with Rhône, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Italian varieties including Malvasia Bianca, Moscato, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Sangiovese. Some of the vines, originating from cuttings brought over from Europe, are over 25 years old. This is a cool climate vineyard with deep loamy soils and late ripening characteristics. Their Italian varietals, including the excellent Pinot Grigio come from there as well. The fruit from this vineyard is highly sought-after by many winemakers.
The lower elevation of the south-facing Valley View Vineyard is known for producing excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. The hilltop portion of the vineyard produces excellent Cabernet Franc and Syrah. In addition, small amounts of Malbec as well as 1 and 1/2 acres of thigh density Petit Verdot are grown in Valley View Vineyard. Because of the success of this variety in this vineyard, 2 additional acres have been planted. The Petit Verdot at Valley View receives maximal sun exposure and ends up being more physiologically ripe and softer than expected.
The 2005 year saw an increase in crops over the preceding years. The year is being compared to the acclaimed 1997 vintage because of a very long and generally cool growing season without heat spikes. This long season resulted in extended hang times in even temperatures which gave the fruit good extraction but lower sugar levels. The slow ripening of the fruit is expected to make for elegance and balance in the wines of this vintage. Read More
Rating
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Color |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Nose |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Palate |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Finish |
2 points |
(5 points max) |
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Astringency/Minerality |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Acidity |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Alcohol |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Aging potential |
2 points |
(5 points max) |
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Overall quality |
7 points |
(10 points max) |
Cumulative Score: 86 Points
Rating System & Scoring Criteria explained
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