A Wine That’s No Leap of Faith: $32 Pick One of California’s Finest Viogniers

This goes well with fried chicken.

I was sitting at the bar at Max’s Wine Dive on Fairview in Houston, and my fried chicken had arrived (more on that chicken later). The manager, with whom I was enjoying a lively discussion about wine and food and family, asked me what I was thinking of drinking with the poultry. I told her to choose, and she poured me a glass of Stag’s Leap Viognier. Perfect choice.

It’s full of subtle honeysuckle and stone fruit, and possesses wonderful minerality and a full, rounded mouth feel. It’s dry, floral, and has great acidity, all of which combined into a perfect pairing for the juicy chicken.

This Viognier (2013, 14 percent alcohol) is in my opinion one of the best being produced in California at the moment. The grape is temperamental, and can be difficult to grow, but Stag’s Leap has done it with this wine. I’d also drink it with Thai cuisine and grilled seafood. You can get this bottle for about $32.

Want more wines? Check out these bottles:

A Great Costco Find (100 percent Merlot)
An Everyday Grüner
A Delightful Oregon Pinot Noir
Kung Fu Girl Riesling
A Crowd-Pleasing Pinot Noir