Wine review: 2005 Protero Gumeracha Viognier
A colleague took a look at me this morning and commented on the buzz cut I’d given myself. “You’re ready for summer!”, he remarked.
That I am. But I think a more interesting warm-weather transformation for me is when I realize that it’s time to open a bottle of chilled white wine.
I’m practically a dyed-in-the-wool “red” man. Nearly year-round, I prefer to reach for the nearest bottle of red wine, whether it be Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, or other joyful berry-cherry-leather elixir. But when the thermometer begins to ping 90 degrees Fahrenheit, I find that red wines can sharply reduce my focus, and that white wines suddenly become much more refreshing. Heck, I’m no different, really - it’s often the same the world over.
I knew it was going to be plenty warm come Monday afternoon, so Sunday I stuck a bottle of Protero Gumeracha Viognier 2005 in my fridge. Yesterday, then, after doing a few house chores and giving my garden a drink, I relaxed with a glass, and oh! - there was lots going on in there: lemon, pear, minerals, subtle hints of gardenia, perfect acidity, soft tannins, fresh and lively, smooth round lingering finish. All seemed OK. That is, except for…
…well, except for the fact that this was the first Aussie Viognier I had tried, and I therefore had expected less. Why? Because I tend to associate Aussie whites with too much mineral, too much acid, too little fruit, and quick dissipation on the palate. Not so here with the Protero: this Viognier is the one Goldilocks would have chosen.
Protero wines are the brainchild of Frank Baldasso, whose 80-acre vineyard in the small Adelaide Hills town of Gumeracha is the site of a former pear and apple orchard. It’s no surprise, then, that the Viognier and Chardonnay wines he produces from this South Australia plot reveal this terroir in the taste; this Protero Viognier is a remarkably fine warm weather wine. Tonight, like last night, I’m going to splash a little into my glass, let it warm in my hand, and cool my senses.
Where purchased: Bottlenotes.com, $37.95
17.5 Winehiker Points
