Viognier is the most widely planted white Rhone grape in the U.S. Initially brought over from France in the 1980s by such California luminaries as John Alban and Joseph Phelps, Stillwater Creek’s Viognier is Entav 642, originally from Tablas Creek cuttings imported by way of Château de Beaucastel. It is planted on a moderately sloped section of the vineyard notable for large chunks of fractured basalt found throughout the sandy loam. A drought-resistant variety, it does well in the Columbia Valley’s dry, arid climate and thrives under typical September and October conditions marked by warm days and cool nights that help preserve the grapes’ natural acidity.
