In addition to their impressive red wines, Pride Mountain Vineyards has turned out one of the finest Viogniers I have tasted from California. My personal reference point was the Calera Viognier, which was subsequently replaced by the Arrowood Viognier from the Saralee Vineyard. Pride's 1995 Viognier provides some stunning competition for Dick Arrowood's Viognier. It possesses copious quantities of honeysuckle-scented fruit, adequate underlying crisp acidity to support the wine's medium to full-bodied personality, and excellent purity and definition. Viogniers have a penchant to be sloppy and lacking focus, but this is a blazingly well-defined wine that carries its weight and richness beautifully. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.
Tel. (707) 963-4949; Fax (707) 963-6039