TN: 2020 Kobayashi Winery Viognier WeatherEye Vineyard

WINE TALK
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  • 2020 Kobayashi Winery Viognier WeatherEye Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (7/8/2022)
    I have found Kobyashi whites (yet to crack a red) benefit immensely from a little air, this had about 2 hrs of decanter fun time. A dizzying array of apricots on both the nose and the palate; a solid foundation minerals intertwined with white flowers, but it was the finish that really impressed - both long and caring a richness factor that really sealed the deal. Easily best Viognier in WA, Hands down. (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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My wife’s favorite wine ever. She’s hoarding a bottle in some secret place so I won’t find it.

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Ha! Misuk has a few bottles like that as well. Hers is the Corra Tail Feathers, which is getting rarer as it hasn’t been bottled the past two vintages due to Oregon wild fires/smoke.

The good news is that we have 3 bottles of the 2020 Kobayashi Viognier and happy to share if by chance that single bottle of yours gets consumed without you getting a glass. [cheers.gif]

PS - Thanks for the note Dale. Loved the 2019, but have not checked in on the 2020 yet. Sounds wonderful!

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Thanks Dale! That is really great you picked up apricot! I feel like apricot is something that non-Condrieu VIO from all over the world struggles to capture - including us. I have been tweaking how I treat the vio every year to try and bring the apricot, so very happy to hear we are getting there. If you are in seattle I’m having some people over for lunch tomorrow and I can crack a Gangloff Condrieu so you can see what I mean. Cheers!

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Hey Travis - I’m in DC but otherwise I would be all over that. But I will be in Seattle a lot more over the next few months so we can definitely try to get a date on the calendar soon with Jared and crew. Keep up the amazing work!

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this is an exceptional bottle that is very difficult to keep ones hands off of

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  • 2020 Kobayashi Winery Viognier WeatherEye Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (7/9/2023)
    2nd go round with this wine and it continues to be lights out good, taking domestic Viognier to a level I didn’t not this was possible to be honest. Less apricot notes compered to last years bottle, more mineral components, and a maddening aura of richness that had me scratching my head as it where it came from (barrel?). Continues a very strong white flower floral streak and a ridiculously good paring with a chilled roasted corn / lime / and avocado soup with a cilantro oil drizzle. I sure hope the Viognier comes out on the offer this fall, I have heard that Travis was having some issues with it - fermentation or something of the like. Best Viognier in the US that I have tasted. (95 points)

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Nice. How was Cattle King?

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Wow, quite the eagle eye there KP! I was going to post in the WA wine thread but here is the gist. As we both know, K makes a ton of wine from all over the state, and hard to pin down a specific house style. My impressions generally speaking are usually good, often very good, and once in a while, Excellent. This was the 18 CK that would describe as between very good to excellent (93 ish). I liked it a lot. Very acid driven - is Upland vineyards - Snipes Mt at altitude? Seems so. Less a meaty type of syrah but no lack of character, dark berries even some earth to balance out the crispness of the wine. Love to revisit in 5 years give or take.

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Reading these notes on the Kobayashi Viog makes me drool. So disappointing that the 2021 wasn’t ready for release.

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Does anyone have a sense of when the release is coming?

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Love how the Kobayashi has seemed to evolve into an even better wine! There is honestly not another Washington winery making Rhone whites at this level. Soup looks amazing, too!

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I do like K Den Hoed, Gard, and Syncline too…knowing I dont drink a ton of domestic Vio.