WTN: 2005 Lodi Viognier, Old Duffers Winery
Photo by Melissa Schneider.
I almost forgot about this round of Wine Blogging Wednesday, the Internet-wide tasting group. Happily, Melissa and I drank a Viognier the other night that falls into Wine For Newbies' theme of uncommon whites. Sadly, you'll never get the chance to taste this wine yourself.
I met Rex Johnston and his wife Barbara Bentley while writing a forthcoming article about home wine makers. You may assume that homemade wine is one step above mouthwash, but careful amateur wine makers can rival most commercial wineries.
Even among talented amateurs, Johnston (who makes his wine with partner George Rammell) sits in a different tier. He brings his bottles as gifts to wineries and gets job offers in return. His wines sweep the awards whenever they appear in a competition (and Bentley's labels bring home yet more ribbons). He has unbridled passion for the craft, and his background as an analytical chemist gives him the technical savvy to manage the labwork that ensures his wines are in tip-top shape.
The 2005 Lodi Viognier from his "Old Duffers Winery" is typical of his work. It's a delicate wine with a restrained peaches-and-cream aroma that's typical of the grape. The vibrant acidity paired nicely with the salad and grilled Fontina Val d'Aosta cheese sandwich I made for dinner the night after our recent dinner party. This well-balanced wine is better than any number of flamboyant and boozy California viogniers I've had over the years. You'll never taste it, it's true, but keep my thoughts in mind the next time you skeptically eye someone's homemade wine. You might be sampling from one of Johnston's competitors on the amateur wine circuit.
Melissa watched nervously as I interviewed home wine makers. She's worried that carboys and barrels will soon appear and then take over our space. Seeing a barrel in Johnston's dining room—the house's warmth keeps the malolactic fermentation active—didn't ease her fears.
For now, even I recognize that our apartment lacks the room I'd need. But some day I'll make my own wine, and Johnston will be one of the first people I'll write for advice.
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