I really like the way the 2011 Viognier balances varietal expressiveness, textural depth and freshness. White flowers, stone fruits and sweet spices lead to exotic tropical notes in this beautifully layered, nuanced Viognier. The 2010 was done 60% in oak and 40% in steel, an approach that works well here. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2016.
These current releases from Pride are impressive for their consistency across the board. Pride does so many things well these days. Most of the reds I tasted were 2009s, a vintage Steve Pride and winemaker Sally Johnson describe as cooler than average, but warmer than either 2010 or 2011. Most of the fruit was brought in between the end of October and early November, quite late for the year, but a great example of how fruit matures on this property, which straddles Napa and Sonoma in the heart of Spring Mountain.
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