2018 Estate Viognier

One of my favorite vintages for this cuvée to date, the 2018 Viognier Estate offers stunning notes of tangerines, white flowers, and salty minerality. This carries to a fresh, vibrant yet still classically textured and opulent Viognier that brings both richness and freshness. It's already a joy to drink yet should evolve nicely for 4-5 years. There are certainly no dogs in the recent vintages from John Alban – 2016, 2017, and 2018 are all brilliant vintages. At the top of the heap, the 2016s have everything: Incredible purity of fruit, flawless balance, and power paired with considerable elegance. These are magical wines and some of the finest I've tasted from the estate. Mostly still resting in barrel, the 2017s have big, exuberant personalities with already complex aromatics as well as plenty of structure on the palate. I was only able to taste the Patrina from 2018, but this is always a good indication of the quality from John, and it has a touch of the 2016s’ purity and elegance. I'll review the 2018s from barrel prior to release. Readers can't go wrong with any of these latest wines.