2021 Viognier
Tasting Notes
This light-bodied wine showcases the best of stainless steel and barrel fermented Viognier. Bright aromatics of honeysuckle, apple, and exotic spices lead to a lively, yet creamy palate. Balanced notes of apple butter, honey, roasted almonds, and brioche bread finish off with lingering flavors of pear and sweet barrel spice. Enjoy now through 2029 with optimal maturity in 2026.
Vineyard Designation
100% Estate Grown
Vintage Notes
The 2021 vintage will be recorded as one the warmest in Washington State history. With a mild winter and a warm spring, we saw bud break during the second week of April, about 1-2 weeks earlier than average. In late June, we experienced a heat wave for approximately 6 weeks. We saw over 35 days of 100+ degree temperatures during this time, with some daily highs nearing 118 degrees! This period of extreme heat began when the grapes were in a cluster and berry size development stage, causing grapes to stress out weeks before we vintners would prefer. Smaller berry sizes led to an overall 30% reduction in crop sizes for us. However, the flavors that these smaller berries produced were phenomenal! We also saw rapid ripening at a pace we have not seen since 2015, creating a very early harvest start. By the end of August, we had brought in nearly 150 tons of sparkling wine grapes and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, hands down an August record for us at Airfield. By the end of September, we had crushed every white varietal, which was beneficial for us in winemaking as we could then give 100% of our attention to red varietals. October started with nice warm temperatures and the pace of grape harvesting was going very well with ideal ripeness and exceptional quality. By the third week of October, we did see several freezing events causing our canopies to die. With only a limited amount of fruit remaining, it was easy for us to harvest the last remaining fruit before the end of October. In the end, the 2021 vintage made outstanding wine. Our white wines showcase bright fruit aromas with brisk acidity. Our red wines display dark fruit elements with structure and finesse. The wines created in 2021 will be age-worthy and enjoyable in their youth and will be wines that will make a lasting impression.
Winemaking Notes
Our 2021 Viognier is sourced from our Estate Vineyard. Meticulous planning went into creating such a balanced wine, which started in early winter with proper pruning. From bud break to harvest, the grape vines were thinned to allow proper exposure, giving the grapes the optimal ripeness and flavors. Harvested in the middle of Sep- tember at optimal ripeness. Once harvested, the grapes were sent directly to the press as whole clusters for a gentle pressing. The juice was cold settled for 72 hours; after cold settling a portion was sent to stainless steel tanks and the rest to French Oak barrels. Both lots were fermented cool with max temperatures in the 60-degree range that allows the wines fruit to be the star of the show. After fermentation, the barrel portion was inoculated for Malo-Lactic fermentation and was closely monitored with the goal to achieve 100% MLF without diacetyl production (buttery flavor) to preserve the fruit aromatics of the wine and still have a perfect balance of acidity. After fermentations were completed both the barrels and tanks had their lees stirred twice a month for 2 months to help build texture, give a rounder mouthfeel, and naturally soften the wine. Aged in a Stainless-Steel tank and French Oak barrels for 8 months before blending both lots together and prepared for bottling.
Food Pairing
Pad Thai
Halibut with Orange and Mint Salsa Verde
Macadamia Chicken with Orange-Ginger Sauce and Coconut Pilaf
Gruyère or Aged Gouda
- Varietal Composition: Viognier
- Appellation: Yakima Valley
- Aging / Barrel Program: 67% Stainless Steel, 33% French Oak (30% New French Oak, 20% 2-3yr old French Oak, 50% Neutral)
- Cases Produced: 1238 cases
- Alcohol: 13.5
- pH: 3.51
- Acidity: 6.8 g/L
- Ageability: Enjoy now through 2029.