Alban Vineyards, Viognier, Central Coast

Rubbing alcohol astringency. Very bitter. Not extremely oxidized (apple juice, maple syrup, cardboard) like other over the hill whites I’ve tried. Too much time or some contamination or maybe both.

2012 vintage

Waited a bit too long to open it. Still very pretty and petite, not much acid. Beautifully floral and mineral drive.

2012 vintage

Honeysuckle, citrus, some tropical fruit. Citrus, lemon

2015 vintage

Lisa Perrotti Brown Hospice du Rhône Seminar (Blackberry Farm) : golden yellow, very perfumed, oily/creamy texture, 14.8% ABV, barrel fermented with native yeasts and lees contact but no stirring or new oak, winner of this Viognier flight

2015 vintage

Not much of a nose. The palate is crisp, with peach and orange rind tones, and somewhat viscous fruit.

2012 vintage

Mushroom and dampness... corked?

2012 vintage

Drank with EG while in Greenwich, CT visiting family for the holidays. Apricots, mandarin oranges, caramel. High intensity of aromas. Low acidity and long finish. I like California Viognier a lot.

2015 vintage

Earthy with strong aromas and flavors of mushroom and stone fruit. Prominent apricot on the palate with nice balanced acidity and a longer finish. Paired well with Chicken Takari and garlic rice.

2012 vintage

Flower and sweet scent. Lonnie liked it - I was more neutral. I Got enough off that Viognier taste - it just gets to much after 2 glasses....

2012 vintage

Waxy oaky glycerine wine filled with a beautiful nose of peaches honeysuckle with a deft touch of oak. In the mouth just not releasing its full potential as the fruit couldn't overcome the waxy overcoat. Looking forward to this again in a few years.

2012 vintage

Seems to have a dual personality but works really well. The nose is absolutely loaded with aromas of sweet honeysuckle, creamy peach, mint and ginger. Rich and intense, whilst also dry and savory, the palate has incredible length and persistence, weaving flavors of ginger, fresh herbs, orange marmalade, exotic spice, gravelly stone, dried apricot and hazelnut.

2012 vintage

I feel like channeling the consensus of prior notes. Gorgeous nose, but not explosively exciting as I loved in the 2008 vintage (only other time I've had this wine). Seems a bit muted on the palette as well, and I do notice the alcohol. Que sera...

2012 vintage

MELONS, APPLES, PEARS, AND CITRUS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.

2012 vintage

Amazingly floral notes.

2012 vintage

Zoinks! I think they mis-labeled my bottle because although it says viognier on the label, this tastes exactly like chardonnay. Buttery.

2012 vintage

A nice enough wine but nothing special yet. Lots of floral notes, especially honeysuckle, that are typical of Viognier. Paired well with with grilled tuna in a butter lime sauce. Didn't notice the alcohol as others have mentioned but must admit I was expecting more from an Alban wine. Probably would be better QPR at $20 vs. the $28 I paid.

2012 vintage

Very slight apricot nose. Over oaken, intense and extremely dry with a peroxide finish. Glycerin laden with a thick creamy mouth feel. Overdone on its own, best with a meal that is more substantial than the cilantro lime butter Salmon and mushroom pecorino brown rice I paired it with.

2012 vintage

the nose has wax and some hint of soap. this mouthfeel is thick and the finish is not terribly acidic, but offers some white/yellow fruit.

2012 vintage

The second bottle of this followed the first one so quickly that preparing a note didn’t seem worthwhile. And now, just a few short months later, my third and final bottle is pulled and consumed. Good thing; this is not a long-lived wine and I suspect it won’t last through the end of this year. The nose and palate are strong with peach and apricot, and deliciously so. Side notes of orange blossom, vanilla, honeysuckle and cinnamon work their way …

2012 vintage

just as the last one was - rich but flabby. With “gumbo” with andouille chicken sausages. No detailed notes.

2012 vintage

This represents a purchase that was more out of curiosity and data point taking. While not expecting this to be a wine reflecting my style of wine, I wanted to know more about Alban and the California style of Viognier. The color is creamed corn which is to say, it is beautiful in the glass. The nose is rich wiht apricot, lychee fruit and .... vanilla. On the palate, the story isn’t the flavor profile as much as it is …

2012 vintage

Some floral notes on the nose and plenty of honeysuckle on the palate and finish. But I agree with the last reviewer. Way too hot. The alcohol overpowers the beauty of this wine- at least at this stage of the game.

2012 vintage

Pineapple, mango, and red apple fruits drive the nose, with hints of honeysuckle and potpourri. A moderate amount of cinnamon and toast flank the fruit, although all are ultimately overwhelmed by the sheer heat of the wine. Thick in the mouth, with a palate of lime zest, bath soap, and an amalgam of stone fruit. Finishes very, very hot. Clearly needs time to settle down, and begs for a sambal-laiden pad thai.

2012 vintage

Waited too long on this one..It was OK, but definitely a little tired.

2002 vintage

Nice wine, but not very viognier-like. Tasted more like an oakey chardonnay. Not bad, but would not buy again.

2002 vintage

Color - deep gold Nose - waxy, glycerine, tropical fruit salad, burnt toast Palate - a touch fat, oily mouthfeel, pineapple and melon, touch of heat on the finish The wine was refrigerated down from cellar temp for about two hours - lacked refreshing acidity Not my cup of tea

2002 vintage

Dinner at Villa Creek: Flavors seemed sensitive to temperature. Initially it had a pleasant, slightly minerally nose of apricots. The palate came across as leaner and with more minerality that one often sees in Viognier. As this warms I detected a hint of bitterness and soap that changed the wine for the negative for me. Overall pleasant though.

2002 vintage

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Alban Vineyards, Viognier, Central Coast

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