Cline Cellars Mendocino County Viognier 2024

This is certainly a Viognier in the Californian mould. It's generously proportioned and full-bodied, with a leaning towards tropical fruit flavours. The distinctive floral aromas are all there and, combined with the plush mouthfeel, give the wine a rich, rounded texture. All told, it's quite a big wine, but a refreshing streak of acidity stops it from getting carried away.

A fragrant, peachy white charmer which suits spicy Thai curries or a simple chicken stir-fry like a dream.

Cline Cellars is a family-owned vineyard and winery in Sonoma's Carneros Valley. Established in 1982 by Fred Cline, a descendant of Italian US settlers, he originally founded the winery in Oakley, Contra Costa County, cultivating Rhône varieties and Zinfandel on vines dating back to 1906. In the 1990s, the family moved their winemaking operation to a 350 acre ranch in Carneros Valley, adopting sustainable farming in 2000, and building the largest solar panelled winery in California. While others in California were focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Fred Cline saw the potential of Rhône varieties and Zinfandel in his vineyards and continues to produce focussed, terroir-driven wines.