What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD)

With pork chops and onions grilling, a pot of Spanish rice cooking, and fresh avocados ready to be sliced, I pulled from the refrigerator a bottle of Tertulia Cellars 2006 Viognier. This wine immediately reminded me of the visit I enjoyed at the Tertulia Cellars winery in Walla Walla last spring, which was where I purchased this bottle for $18.

The Tertulia '06 Viognier (14%) is comprised of 76% viognier and 24% roussanne. Some of the viognier and all of the roussanne was sourced from the Lonesome Spring Ranch in the Yakima Valley AVA, with additional viognier coming from Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

I really like that Tertulia provides a level of detail on the who, what and where on its web site, which helps create a deeper connection to each wine they produce.

The Tertulia offered pineapple on the nose and decent acidity, but the roussanne gave it this vegetal finish that I just didn't care for. The tasting notes describe "avocado blossom" - whatever that means as I have never smelled an avocado flower before. But I think they get closer when describing the taste as having "avocado", which I guess speaks to its creamy green signature.

I found the wine to be nice on the front-end but funky on the back-end. To be fair, the funkiness on the finish is something I have encountered frequently with Washington state roussannes, whether blended or on their own.

As much as I find the roussanne varietal interesting, I have yet to acquire a taste for it. However, of all the various sources of roussanne fruit, I believe Ciel du Cheval Vineyard produces some of the more palatable fruit in Washington state.

An interesting wine, but not a bottle I would buy again. I am looking forward to trying other Tertulia wines in the future, especially the bottle of '05 cabernet purchased during my visit to their winery.