This is a Greyton WO.
Balance is the key to this wine. Viognier is an aromatic and generous varietal, it benefits from barrel maturation and lees contact with a fuller mouth feel and increased texture. This combined with the firm acid backbone and intense fruit will allow this wine to integrate beautifully and gain further complexity over the next 3-5 years.
Rich, lush and decadent. Viognier is a gorgeous variety. Honeysuckle, peaches and dried apricot with a lingering citrus finish. A clean fresh acidity supports the extravagance of the nose and the palate.
Lighter styles are often paired with curries and the like. This Viognier is different. We recommend medium bodied meals that are intense and complex. For example:
- Sesame encrusted tuna marinated in a blend of orange, lemon and lime juice spiced with sesame oil and balsamic vinegar – seared on a wood fired grill and served with griddled vegetables, or
- Free range duck breast smoked with Darjeeling tea and coriander leaves. Set on a cinnamon poached pear glazed with a gooseberry jus.
In both of these dishes, the fruit and floral aspects of the wine are complimented by the exotic and aromatic elements in the dish which are also highlighted by the spiciness from the oak fermentation; the fresh acidity freshens the palate, and yet the Lismore Viognier has the body to hold up against the weight of the duck or the tuna. It is also gorgeous with a well laid cheese platter.
"Soft, toasty notes of apple skin, creamed melon and orange peel greet the nose and carry through to the medium-weight palate, where they're met with additional hints of melon rind and baking spice. A pithy texture lends length to the close. Drink now. - Lauren Buzzeo"
- Wine Enthusiast (April 2018), 89 pts
"(barrel-fermented): Full yellow with a gold tinge. Full-blown scents of fresh apricot, almond and honeysuckle, with a building note of orange blossom. Fat, broad and slightly sweet but with a firm citrussy edge giving decent shape to the middle palate and back end. Ultimately less sweet than the nose suggests, with the almond note repeating on the slightly edgy finish. A distinctly exotic fruit bomb of a Viognier with obvious barrel fermentation character. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Vinous (May 2017), 89 pts
"With just 0.8 hectares in the ground, my only criticism of Sam O’Keefe’s world class Viognier is that there isn’t more of it. Located on a protected, south-facing slope, which contributes to the wine’s freshness and vivacity, it’s a voluptuous, peach and nectarine fruity wine with subtle oak and balancing acidity. The closest the Cape comes to Condrieu. Drink: 2016-19"
- Tim Atkin (September 2016), 95 pts
"The 2014 Viognier was quite muted on the nose when I tasted it, perhaps not quite expressing the varietal character with as much confidence as previous vintages. The palate is more expressive with quite a candied opening - pralines, dried mango and a touch of citrus peel, gaining weight in the mouth but never quite letting go on the finish. Give this another year in bottle to find a louder voice...I think it will, hence my plus sign on the score. - Neal Martin"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (November 2015), 90+ pts
Tucked into the foothills of a dramatic mountain range at the bottom of Africa is Lismore Estate Vineyards. It is here, in the Greyton area, that Californian Samantha O'Keefe found ...
Read More
