Viognier California white wine Ledgewood Creek Viognier 2005 is highly aromatic with floral tones of honeysuckle, apricot and violets. It has a mineral-like mouth with fruity flavors of peach and moderate acidity. Historically grown in the northern Rhone Valley in France, California Viognier thrives in the warm climate of Suisun Valley and produces richer, honey-like flavors. This Ledgewood Creek Estate Grown Viognier 2005 is produced from Ledgewood Creek estate vineyards in Suisun Valley. It is blended with 20% Roussanne to build the flavor component and allow for a pleasing lingering finish. The wine pairs well with Asian Cuisine, light curry and cream dishes. Hailed as an exceptionally fine vintage in Northern California, the 2005 growing season was hallmarked with an ideal long, warm harvest period which allowed wine grapes to reach full maturity and develop full varietal character. Warm temperatures in February and March pushed the vines toward an early bud break. These warm months were followed by cool, rainy conditions which lasted through mid-June. This pattern was followed by an unusually cool summer with one spike of hot weather in August which accelerated grape maturity and flavor development. Ideal conditions in the Suisun Valley contributed to a huge crop for most varieties and fruit of outstanding quality. This Viognier reveals the fine qualities of a fantastic vintage.

The Frisbie Family is dedicated to producing exceptional, Estate–Grown wines in the American Viticultural Area known as “Suisun Valley” located on the eastern Napa border. Long known for its commitment to the best vineyard practices, Ledgewood Creek Wines are crafted first and foremost in the vineyards, long before being placed in the artistic hands of their winemaker. The winery's beginnings date back to 1985 when Dean Frisbie bought a pear orchard in the little known Suisun Valley viticultural area. To honor the pioneering Peabody family and their long-standing farming history in the valley, they named the orchard Peabody Ranch. By 1989, vineyards had replaced the pear orchard and the original Peabody Ranch was soon incorporated into what is now Ledgewood Creek Winery & Vineyards. With Ledgewood Creek running along the property's northern edge and with Abernathy Road bordering it's eastern edge, the original Peabody Ranch vineyard proved so successful that the overall holdings grew to include over 350 acres planted with grapes. In the early part of 2001, a descision was made to start producing some wine that would be available for sale. The vineyards and winery remain family-owned and operated with patriarch Dean Frisbie as General Manager, son James sharing his time between wine sales and vineyard marketing, and son Tom working with the web-site while living at the winery, full-time. The Frisbies' philosophy has always been, "If it is broken, fix it…and if it is not, how can we improve upon it?" Those who grow the grapes at Ledgewood Creek work tirelessly to find the vineyard's best expression of fruit quality and continued vine balance. This means constant fine tuning of canopy management, fertilization schedules, irrigation techniques, and crop tonnages. Fruit at Ledgewood Creek is harvested by hand - the red grapes by day, and the whites at night. Night harvesting, while costly and time consuming, has proven the best method to control the quality of the fruit harvested.

RATINGS: Bronze Medal - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Appellation: Suisun Valley
Grapes: 85% Viognier & 15% Roussanne
Harvest: September 2005
Fermentation: Stainless Steel Tanks
Alcohol: 14.2%