Thacher Viognier (Summer Hold)

Tasting notes & discussion 1

This wine will ship between OCTOBER 5th and 16th. If you want protected summer shipping, click here

Typically $45/bottle from Thacher Winery & Vineyard
Vintage 2023 from Paso Robles
Available for AL; AZ; AR; CA; CO; CT; DC; FL; GA; ID; IL; IN; IA; KS; KY; LA; ME; MD; MA; MI; MN; MO; MT; NE; NV; NH; NJ; NM; NY; NC; ND; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VT; VA; WA; WV; WI; WY
Sold by participating winery or licensee, fulfilled by Wine Country Connect

About Thacher Winery & Vineyard: “We are a family-owned and operated, authentic wine producer located in one of the world’s most superb wine-growing regions and fueled by some of the most talented people. We believe in this place we call home and the handmade wines we have to share with you.”

Better Branding, Fewer Seeds

TASTING NOTES: “The aromatics of honeysuckle, chamomile, and a ripe nectarine draw you in to this complex version of Viognier. With a bright acidity and a defined mineral streak, the palate shows off lemongrass, key lime, and toasted bread. A counterpoint to the very ripe, often overblown style that Viognier has become notorious for. The picking decision was geared to produce fresher aromatics, bracing natural acidity and an all-over livelier wine. A combination of oxidative must treatment, fermentation by indigenous yeasts, and malolactic fermentation is used to build complexity and texture in the wine.” (AbV 11.9%, pH 3.27, TA (g/100mL): .65)

VARIETALS: 100% Viognier

BARRELS: Not specified.

PAIRS WITH: N/A

THAT REMINDS ME OF: Key lime.

Real one’s rarer than the name suggests. The tree that gave “key lime pie” its name barely grows in the Keys anymore — a 1926 hurricane flattened most of the groves, and when growers replanted, they mostly switched to Persian limes, which are bigger, seedless, and don’t shatter every few years when a storm rolls through. So the fruit that’s supposedly the whole point of the dessert is now a minority ingredient in most versions of it; a lot of “key lime” pie is Persian lime juice with better branding, or just bottled concentrate, which the actual key lime purists consider a small crime.

The lime itself isn’t even from Florida originally — it’s native to Southeast Asia, got to the Caribbean by way of Spanish traders, and only picked up “key lime” as a name once it made itself at home in the Keys long enough that Americans forgot it came from anywhere else. Everywhere outside the US it’s just called Mexican lime or West Indian lime, which is a much less romantic name for a pie.

ICYMI, you have two choices:

Worried Summer heat might get to your wine before your wine gets to you? Order from this sale, the page you’re on right now, and we’ll get it to you at a cooler time of year (October)!

Want Protected Summer Shipping and don’t think heat will be a problem? Order from the sale linked here! We’ll still try to get them to you with as little travel time as we can.

Some places get absurdly hot during the Summer, and in particularly unpleasant circumstances, it can damage a wine. Most people get theirs no problem, but there are a couple each Summer that fall victim to the sun no matter how fast we get them to you. If you’ve experienced that before or are afraid it’ll happen to you, we’ll hold your order for you until October, if you order from the Summer Hold sale. We are reasonably sure things will be cooler then.

Who's buying this?

How are you buying your bottles?

Key lime pie's origin story is basically false advertising. Any foods you love that aren't what their name claims?

I can think of one immediately

I can think of one immediately
I know a few, but I still don't care

I know a few, but I still don't care
I just learned this is a whole category of thing

I just learned this is a whole category of thing
Nope, I trust every food name completely

Nope, I trust every food name completely
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