A full-bore Viognier

Xavier Gerard is a young winemaker in the Northern Rhone that has produced wine for roughly one decade.  He has holdings in Condrieu, Cote Rotie, and Saint-Joseph from which he makes five different wines.  I tasted the 2014 Xavier Gerard, Viognier, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes which is essentially declassified Condrieu.   Upon first pour, the wine is and remained very aromatic.  In the mouth are waxy, nutty flavors of tropical white fruit.  My first impression is that this saw some skin-contact but after being open for one week (!) the wine reveals itself as full-bore.  Perhaps a little polarizing, this wine no doubt delivers a substantial amount of aroma and flavor for the price.  Check it out! This wine is available at MacArthur Beverages.

2014 Xavier Gerard, Viognier, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes – $20
Imported by Neal Rosenthal.  This wine is 100% Viognier fermented primarily in stainless steel vats with a minority in oak casks.  Alcohol 13.5%.  Those nose is very aromatic and attractive.  In the mouth are waxy, nutty, tropical white fruit flavors.  At first the wine tastes a little robust and tannic as if it saw skin contact.  With air it shows complex white floral flavors, supportive acidity, and a tropical punch flavor in the aftertaste.  *** Now – 2021.