In sunny California, experimentation with food and drink is a way of life—and consumers are all the luckier for it. Instead of a typical plate of nachos on a menu, you might find tuna sashimi “nachos” made with crispy wontons and a wasabi drizzle.
Unique foods need unique wines. A couple of decades ago, the winemakers at Pine Ridge Winery in Napa decided to blend Chenin Blanc with Viognier (a pairing never found in France) because “Why not?”
Their unusual pairing paid off. Originally sold only in the tasting room, the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier has become one of the winery’s most beloved and bestselling wines.
While the estate is located in the Stags Leap District AVA, Pine Ridge sources its Chenin Blanc from ten particular plots in the Clarksburg AVA, which has a long growing season and is cooled by the nearby Sacramento River. The Viognier, a classic Rhône varietal, is sourced from the Lodi AVA where it thrives in the more Mediterranean climate.
The CB+V is aromatic with notes of honeysuckle, orange blossoms, nectarine, and ginger. This warm entry is met with a refreshing acidity on the palate with citrus—tangerine, lime, lemon curd, lemongrass—plus green apple and white peach. This crisp white finishes clean and long with a lingering hint of lime.
“I love working with Chenin Blanc because it has distinctive acidity and vibrant lemon-lime characters that complement the weight and floral notes of Viognier,” says winemaker Colleen FitzGerald. “It’s an inspired, food-friendly, unpretentious wine.”
The CB+V pairs extremely well with Thai chicken salads, shrimp ceviche marinated with lime, lemongrass, and red chili; and leek and bacon flatbreads.
Suggest this bottle to consumers who are looking for something other than the typical oaky Chardonnay or grapefruity Sauvignon Blanc. With its high acidity, medium body, and low 12% ABV, the CB+V has strong glass pour potential (P.S. They also bottle a sparkling version).
