2005 Concha y Toro Viognier Casillero del Diablo Reserva

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 83.5 points

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  3/26/2006 - tschampaert wrote: 83 Points

  A 100% South American Viognier always sounds a bit like cheap showing off with names and labels. At least, that was what I first thought when I bought this one. However, something should have warned me about this silly preoccupation: it's a Casillero del Diablo Viognier. Not to say that it is good merely because it's CdD, but nevertheless, anyone knows that their reputation isn't one of cheap slobber wine (think of the 2004 Cabernet Sauv. for instance). Some primary suspicion is never wrong though when it comes to honest tasting: the only indication of quality is the inside of the bottle, that's all.
  This Viognier hasn't much to do with those 'true' Condrieu thoroughbreds, but it's certainly a very fair and nice Viognier typification. The nose brilliantly shows this ambiguous old/young contrast of crisp scents with heavy, almost musklike in texture, overripe peach and 'crême de peche'. Waltzing reveals some more spicy fruit: pineapple or vanilla. The mouthfeel is as clean as the clear moon yellow colour with green reflections suggests: fresh and pure with consistent fruity sours. Apart from impressions of apricot, lime and roses the palate displays a sturdy structure and full grip just adding up to drinking pleasure. Yet, the aftertaste of flowery vanilla disturbs the harmony a litte bit: at the end there is a naked tail of burning alcohol.
  Good Viognier characterization, well structured but a bit unbalanced in the end. Good but could have been better.

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