I wish I knew more about this wine. I loved it! Alban makes (not counting this), two different Viogniers. They make and estate Viognier and a Central Coast Viognier. Both are labeled as Viognier. This one is neither of those two. It carries the additional labelling as Sarments. The word means cutting or scion, so I assume these vines were propagated from other vines somewhere... Anyway, I like the Alban Estate Viognier but don't love it. I prefer Viognier more like a Condrieu which is a region making Viognier in the Rhone Valley in France. I would like to say the difference is in the alcohol, but this one lists 14% which is only slightly lower than the estate. For my tastes, this was much closer to what I look for but am very curious. Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose is wonderful. It has a very floral nose with some peach and just a bit of petrichor. Medium bodied. Lovely texture. On the palate, this is delicious. Not a powerful wine, but flavors of peach, apricot, and minerality. So very smooth. No noticeable alcohol. Smooth finish. I could sip this all day. It is great on its own but would be even better with the right food. It would be great with soft cheeses, or creamy mushroom or seafood dishes. Drink in the next couple of years to take advantage of the aromatics.
