A fave California Viognier

Smoking Loon Viognier
Sonoma, California, 2005
Don Sebastiani & Sons
13.5%
$16.80 CND for a 750 ml bottle

Next time you’re in the liquor store, look for a whimsical red and yellow label with an artistically doodled loon—smoking, of course. If you turn the bottle over to read about the merits of the wine, you’ll discover only a weird, albeit entertaining, bit of prose about some equally weird ’n’ loony guy nicknamed Smoking Loon, thanks to his loon-like cackle. Okay… I think they were smoking something alright when they wrote this. If you find this Viognier in stock, buy it and enjoy it. No need to wait because this grape varietal is great young.

Smoking Loon Viognier (pronounced Vee-ohn-yay) is a light golden colour. It has a clean, fruity aroma. I smell pear, pineapple and grapefruit. It’s light, smooth and lush tasting with the creaminess that often comes with a good Viognier. Crisp apple, pineapple, apricot and peach flavours dance in my mouth. It has a faint vanilla, anise and clove finish, which accounts for the warm spicy taste on the tongue. This refreshing white wine is perfect for a summer day on the patio. Enjoy!