The Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier 2024 is a wine I found selling for $10.99 at a local wine shop. Pine Ridge Vineyards is a Napa Valley winery in the Stags Leap district. They typically produce Bordeaux-inspired wines, so this White wine is not typical of their wine program.
The Story
Pine Ridge Vineyards is part of the Crimson Wine Group, which also includes Seghiso, Chamisal, and several other brands.
The Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier 2024 is 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Viognier. The Chenin is sourced from Clarksburg, and the Viognier from Lodi. Most California wines are sourced from grapes grown in either or both the Central Coast AVA or the North Coast AVA.
Clarksburg and Lodi are neither they are located in the Sacromento River Valley from the San Pablo Bay they independent AVAs but are closer to the Central Valley AVA.
Chenin Blanc is a French grape mainly grown in the Loire Valley and has become an important wine in South Africa. Clarksburg is an excellent location for growing Chenin Blanc vines, and it is expected to become a premier growing region in time.
Viognier is another French grape that has a floral nose, and zesty acidity is often added to wine to give it some zip. It is also used with Red grapes in Australia.
The winemaker pressed the grapes but also blended in free-run juice. Free run juice is the grape juice caused by the weight of the grapes when put into the press, and before the press is applied. Free-run juice is thought to be superior.
This wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel and the grapes were picked before full ripeness to keep the sugar and the alcohol down (11.5%).
The Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier 2024 Tasting Notes
The color is a pale golden yellow. The nose is full of fruit market scents, melons, green peppers, apples, peach, pear, tropical fruit, it runs the spectrum. The Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier 2024 is rich and lively, with loads of flavor.
The White Blend tastes like a stew of melon, lemon, peach, pineapple, apple, and nectarine. There are also tropical fruits and a faint bell pepper.
The acidity is well controlled, and the flavors are long and full.
The Summary
- The Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier 2024 is an excellent White wine, no matter the price tag, after all, really good is really good.
- This is an easily related wine with grapes that are not the usual suspects.
- A fine wine at a value price.
