Zaca Mesa Winery - Our Wines

Growing Season and Harvest
After a relatively uneventful winter, the vines came to life in early April only to be frost bit in late-April. Thankfully, only a small portion of our vineyard was damaged. May’s weather was not any better with sprinkles and wind during the critical bloom period. After a heat spike of +100° in mid-June, things settled down to our normal 55° in the morning and 85°in the afternoon. Harvest started as usual in early September and went quickly as there were few grapes to pick. Another cold snap hit in mid-October, but it did not hurt as most of our grapes had been picked. Yields were low due to the weird weather but the quality was encouraging.

Winemaking
After we hand harvested this Viognier, it began fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Halfway through fermentation, it was transferred to neutral French oak barrels. The wine was then aged for three months, but was not allowed to go through malolactic fermentation. This short barrel aging provides the rich, creamy mouth feel.

The Wine
On the nose, aromas of honeysuckle and white peach hint at sweetness. However, this wine is dry on the palate with notes of ripe apricot, lemon-lime, melon and lychee. A lingering finish has a touch of minerality, a signature characteristic of our vineyard. A natural pairing would be Thai chicken, raw oysters, ahi tuna or Szechuan prawns.

"Floral fruit-basket aromas with a crisp apple-y mid-palate and great acid." Exceptional, Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences, June 18, 2009

Best White Rhone Variety, Santa Barbara County Wine Competition, June 2009

"There is very little about this very ripe and outgoing wine that can be called subtle, but when it comes to richness and plentiful fruit, this one stand with the best. Long on sweet peaches and pears with complexing highlights of honey, blossoms and spice, it is a complete and fully expressed Viognier whose brightness and balance are as noteworthy as its exemplary fruit. It is so well structured, in fact, that it will keep well for a few years should there be any who do not succumb to its immediate charms." 91 points, 2-Puffs, Good Value. Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, March 2009

"Pale gold. Varietally typical aromas of peach, flowers and smoky minerals, with a subtle citrus pith note adding vivacity. Medium-weight pit fruit flavors are nicely framed by a refreshingly bitter lime quality. A touch sweet on the finish, but delivers solid value and would work well with spicy Asian dishes." 87 Points, International Wine Cellar, November/December 2008.

"Zaca Mesa once again brings their deft touch to this hard-to-control variety. A bit more structured and leaner than previous vintages, the wine is dry and complex, with refreshing acidity framing flavors of tropical fruit chutney, honeysuckle, vanilla and cinnamon spice." Editors Choice 90 Points, Wine Enthusiast, November 15, 2008

"Light to medium-light golden yellow; pleasant, herbal, earthy, lemony, white peach, and honeysuckle aroma; medium-full bodied; forward, slightly viscous, white peach and apricot flavors with bright acidity and a note of minerality; lingering aftertaste." Highly Recommended, 88/100. California Grapevine, August-September 2008

Best of Show, Best White Wine, Best White Rhone Varieties - Santa Barbara County Fair Wine Competition

Platium Medal - Critics Challenge Wine Competition

Gold Medal - Los Angeles International Wine Competition

"This wine's aromas have it all-flowers, hints of white peaches and Fuji apples, a layer of hardwood richness and even a whiff of tropical fruit, and there is equal joy to come in the youthfully vital, slightly viscous yet always balanced flavors. Like many of its coastal brethren, it has the firm, still developing fruit to improve for a couple of years in the bottle, and this wine is accompanied by the added pleasure of an invitingly low price for what it offers. " Two Puffs and 92 Points Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine, January 2008

"Light at first, neither sweet nor oily, this viognier brightens to fresh, lasting lemon and peach flavors as it develops with air. Decant it to serve with seared scallops." 92 Points, Wine & Spirits Magazine, August 2007.