WTN: Two French Viogniers...(short/boring)

Got my PaulMarcus order in ystrday, so cracked:
1. LaurentMiquel Nord-Sud Viognier Vin de Pays d'Oc (13.5%) Languedoc 2007: Pale yellow/near colorless; light pear/Viog slight earthy bit simple/washed out nose; tart/lean/metallic some earthy very light pear/Viog rather dull flavor; short stoney/earthy/austere very light pear/Viog finish; simple/dull Pd'O w/ scant Viog fruit; overpriced at $14.00
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2. GuilhamDurand Domaine LaBastide Viognier Vin de Pays d'Hauterive (MeBaD; 13%) Escales 2007: Pale/near colorless; slightly more fragrant/pear/Viog light earthy nose; softer slightly richer very light pear/Viog bit stoney rather dull flavor; short light pear/Viog/stoney finish; simple/dull Viog w/ slightly more fruit & richness; overpriced at $14.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Tweedledum & Tweedledee. Both of these were marked by a distinct lack of Viog character. Must have been cropped at 8 tons/acre to get this dilute a wine. They had acidity, but that was about all. No bargins, here.
Tom

I just find the idea of Viognier in the Languedoc perplexing.

I just find the idea of Viognier in the Languedoc perplexing.

Why would that be, Dale?? Because it's too hot?? There are some rather good Viogniers coming out of Lodi, so hot climates
can do a decent job w/ the grape.
Tom

I can't say that I've ever had (nor seen) a Lodi Viognier, but admit it's not something I would look for. Viognier tends to be on the low acid side for my tastes, and most I have tasted from warmer spots are flabby and high alcohol (again, for my tastes).

I can't say that I've ever had (nor seen) a Lodi Viognier, but admit it's not something I would look for. Viognier tends to be on the low acid side for my tastes, and most I have tasted from warmer spots are flabby and high alcohol (again, for my tastes).

Agree, Dale.
Viognier tends to be on the low-acid side and would seem that hot climates would not do well w/ the grape. Some of the lesser
Viogniers out of Lodi are pretty soft/fat/porky/Pillsbury-Dough-Boy types of Viogniers, but that have pretty powerful aromatics.
But some of the Lodi Viogniers grown in the Eastern sub-AVAs of Lodi, like ClementsHills an MokulumneRiver, have good
acidities and lovely aromatics.
OTOH, these two Languedoc Viogniers had plenty of acidity (better living thru chemistry I presume?) but a paucity of fruit and
virtually no aromatics. Could have been cropped at 8 tons/acre..could have been harvested early (to get the acidity right) afore the
grapes had developed any aromatics or flavors. Don't know.
And, I must admit, I've never had a Viognier from this part of France that was much better than these two dogs.
But you see a fair amount of these Viogniers around..so sombody must be buying.
Tom

But some of the Lodi Viogniers grown in the Eastern sub-AVAs of Lodi, like ClementsHills an MokulumneRiver, have good
acidities and lovely aromatics.

Just noting the name Clements hills is it possible it is cooler (or maybe cooler nights) than other Lodi areas?

harvested early (to get the acidity right)

sounds like a good guess there!

And, I must admit, I've never had a Viognier from this part of France that was much better than these two dogs.
But you see a fair amount of these Viogniers around..so sombody must be buying.

You also see a lot of VdP d'Oc Merlot, but doesn't mean I'd buy it!

But some of the Lodi Viogniers grown in the Eastern sub-AVAs of Lodi, like ClementsHills an MokulumneRiver, have good
acidities and lovely aromatics.

Just noting the name Clements hills is it possible it is cooler (or maybe cooler nights) than other Lodi areas?

There's a bunch of Lodi sub-AVA's over on the Eastern side where the vlly floor start to rise up into the the foothills of the Sierras, up into
CalaverasCnty, that are cooler than the vlly floor vnyds. They not only benefit, as does all Lodi, w/ the nighttime breezes off the Delta,
but also benefit from the cool nighttime air rolling down out of the Sierras. So I'm told, anyway.

And, I must admit, I've never had a Viognier from this part of France that was much better than these two dogs.
But you see a fair amount of these Viogniers around..so sombody must be buying.

You also see a lot of VdP d'Oc Merlot, but doesn't mean I'd buy it!

But somebody must be buying it...it seems to sell. Some people just have to have Merlot, I guess.