Laughing Stock 2016 Viognier 750ml

wine profile

Viognier grows at our Perfect Hedge Vineyard in Osoyoos. An hour south of the Naramata Bench winery site, this vineyard is hotter and provides the extra heat units that Viognier requires to ripen fully. The 2016 vintage of Viognier may very well be our best vintage yet with this exceptionally warmer vintage.

Viognier is a unique white varietal combining the weightiness on the palate of Chardonnay and the amazing floral aromatics of Gewürztraminer. This smooth-talking grape is the ultimate white wine for red wine drinkers. The heady fragrance has aromas of Mock Orange blossoms that surround vineyards throughout the Okanagan. The palate is dry with a stunning viscosity that is sheer luxury. This wine is perfectly paired with spicy dishes like Indian Curry, Pad Thai or even with Sushi.

INSIDER TIP: The trick with Viognier is to get optimal ripeness without losing acidity, thus we do two separate picks 10 days apart.

winemaking notes

In 2016, we selectively picked the 100% estate grapes from our Perfect Hedge vineyard in Osoyoos on two separate dates, 10 days apart. The Grapes were whole cluster pressed and fermented in 40% stainless steel, 35% neutral French oak and 25% concrete eggs. Then it is aged in a combination of oak, stainless steel and concrete to add complexity to the wine.

Our winemaking team has been using concrete eggs since 2011. Concrete fermenters are slightly porous thus allowing the wine to breathe without imparting any flavours. The egg shape brings some unique properties to the fermentation process by keeping the lees in a constant state of movement.

vintage notes

The 2016 vintage started out with the earliest bud break on record in the Okanagan. The early spring had significant heat units which caused the vineyards to surge in growth. A more moderate summer helped to gain back some balance in the vines. Ripening was early but gradual as fall rains slowed down the pace at harvest. An early frost on October 11th created havoc for some other vineyards, but all our sloped sites were able to continue ripening til the end of October. Overall an exceptional harvest with a very long growing season meaning more time on the vines for the grapes to develop complex flavours.

vineyard

The Viognier is 100% estate grown on the Perfect Hedge Vineyard in Osoyoos.

--Winemaker