I recently received a bottle of 2004 Bergevin Lane Columbia Valley Viogneir as part of a gift basket. I looked up the ratings, and the two years adjacent to the 04 were rated far apart - mid-80's and low 90's. Not sure wht to expect, and wondering if any of you had a food matching idea? Thanks.

my personal choice for pairings with Viognier are spicy foods, particularily Thai, Persian or even Mexican to be honest... not sure if you're experienced or not with Viognier, but make sure you give it a good chill prior to drinking

That is a good Viognier.

If you're in Seattle, have it with the warm sunset and Mariners game tonight. Had it with BBQ shrimp (New Orleans style, black pepper, etc.) the other night and it was perfect.

Or cheese, cheese, cheese. We were serving Red Darla (Estrella Family Creamery Montesano, WA), my new favorite stinky cheese - raw cow's milk, red wine washed. Off the charts good.

scallops, scallops and scallops!!!

With a condrieu you could have much heavier dishes such as rabbit stew, potato leek soup, or sausages.

I haven't had the Bergevin Lane Viognier, but most WA versions tend to be low in acidity. That would make in less than ideal with scallops, or other shell fish unless they are spicy.

I had occasion to taste about a dozen different Viogniers recently, and surprisingly, the California wines had better acidity than the Washington selections. Zaca Mesa, for one, could even be described as crisp.

quote:

Originally posted by pape du neuf:
I haven't had the Bergevin Lane Viognier, but most WA versions tend to be low in acidity. That would make in less than ideal with scallops, or other shell fish unless they are spicy.

pan fried with a little butter? you don't know what you're missing.

I don't know that bottle, but if it's big like a condrieu, then scallops would indeed be an excellent match. Also grilled chicken or salmon. We drink a fair bit of viognier and it matches well with lots of stuff. The floral notes go particularly well with aromatic spices.

Don't be afraid to pair viognier with sushi. It's truly a fine match IMHO.

Several months ago I paired Viognier with blackened grouper and I thought that it was very enjoyable.

I'll THIRD the recommendation with scallops. I really like how the fruity, floral nature of Vionier pairs with the almost sweetish-floral flavor of scallops. As with most fine seafood, IMHO, less is more (preparation-wise).

quote:

Originally posted by kumazam:
my personal choice for pairings with Viognier are spicy foods, particularily Thai, Persian or even Mexican to be honest... not sure if you're experienced or not with Viognier, but make sure you give it a good chill prior to drinking

kuma...just an fyi - persian food is definnitely NOT spicy. as a persian myself, our food actually lends itself better to the meat and potatoes crew (meat, rice, bread, etc...) while the spices used tend to be very flavorful, almost nothing os overfly spicy in persian cuisine

quote:

Originally posted by mattach:
kuma...just an fyi - persian food is definnitely NOT spicy. as a persian myself, our food actually lends itself better to the meat and potatoes crew (meat, rice, bread, etc...) while the spices used tend to be very flavorful, almost nothing os overfly spicy in persian cuisine

mattach,

re-reading my sentence i can see how you would draw that conclusion thats what i meant... but i know Persian is not spicy like Thai or Mexican or even necessarily peppery, but i do consider it rich in flavor of herbs & spices... one of my favorite, easy "fast food" Persian dishes to have with a glass of Viognier is a Chicken Shawarma with a side of Skhug and a little garnished Hummus for the left over bread

had some nice Persian last night, a couple Tahdig dishes, wonderful salads w/ Lemon Juice & EVOO dressings, and platter upon platter of Chicken & Beef Kabobs & Koobideh, and Steak & Salmon, various rice dishes as well! yum! paired with an 06' Melville Viognier which was a nice match... not a typical pairing in the traditional sense, more quenching & refreshing after all the meat & starch!

and if you see this, Happy Norooz on the 19th mattach!

pan seared scallops with a champagne-butter-lime juice reduction with a dash of ginger

easy quick simple and great with viognier

I like to pour viognier when serving peach salsa (which I spoon over a grilled chicken breast or halibut filet). There is usually a lot of peach in a viognier and some sympatico results.

Cheers,

Otis

Peach and apricots along with apples and pears are the most prominent flavors in a Viognier. Look for recipes for white meats and fish that feature those elements in sauces, dressings, relish, etc.

I hope this is still a good Viognier becuase I prefer mine (especially New World) very young and fresh - usually consumed within the 1st year of release.

quote:

pan seared scallops with a champagne-butter-lime juice reduction with a dash of ginger

Sounds incredibly delicious!

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pan seared scallops with a champagne-butter-lime juice reduction with a dash of ginger

Last night .... added Capers and had with a 2006 Paras Mt Veeder Viognier....awesome...

Many nice options above. My favorite is crab, Dungeness crab, followed by scallops and Thai.

If I remember right, the BL Viognier isn't light in acids, and that is very typical for Walla Walla wines.

Viognier is usually such a delicate and aromatic wine, it needs to be paired with it's equal - delicate. Scallops and crab I think is a perfect pairing.

Blackened Chilean Seabass. Served with a mango-pineapple-jalopeno-red onion-cilantro-lime salsa.

Broiled Sole with slightly spicy pear compote.

While I enthusiastically agree with all who have suggested anything that involves seared scallops, recently I made a good pasta dish that the SanFrancisco Chronicle Wine Section featured March 14, 2008 to go with a tasting they had done of domestic white Rhones.

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta

Domestic White Rhones and Blends

Scallops and crab are great choices and I agree entirely with those that said it before me.

I am sure I am going to get some odd looks and strange responses to this but I love rosemary dijon chicken with Viognier. I had a sommelier recommend this about 8 or so years ago when I was prepping to host a dinner party with this as the main course. I laughed and thought she was crazy but because I trusted her I gave it a whirl. Now, it is my go to wine with that dish.