2006 The Foundry Viognier
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Tasting notes
(fermented with wild yeasts in second-fill 300-liter French casks) Pale yellow-gold. Intriguing aromas of apricot, ginger and flinty minerality, with hints of flowers and dried fruits. Dense and tactile but with an invigorating thread of acidity giving the oily nectarine and marzipan flavors a steely quality. Fascinating and substantial viognier.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Their 2006 Viognier manages to avoid the frequent pitfalls one encounters in ripe, barrel-fermented wine from this grape, such as canned fruit cocktail aromas, oily heaviness, or excessive astringency. Aromas of acacia, white peach, apricot kernel, and roasted pistachio greet you, and the palate impression is enveloping in richness, subtly creamy yet refreshing, and only lightly tinged with bitter herbs and fruit pits. Notes of cress and white pepper add to an imposing finishing cling. I would plan to enjoy this over the next 6-9 months, although I have no experience with bottle maturation of Foundry Viognier. A less than ten-year-old winery, The Foundry concentrates on Syrah that transcends the price ceiling for this report. Importer: Cape Classics, New York, NY; tel. (212) 686-1300.