
Donelan Family Wines 2017 'Venus' Roussanne - Viognier
Donelan Family Wines
Region: Sonoma County, CA
Watch us taste this wine with the Vintners on SIP Virtual Wine Tasting series!

- Color: pale golden
- Aromas: pear, meyer lemon, bakers yeast, jasmine, seashells, honeycomb, chamomile tea
- Palate: balanced, leads with bright acidity and minerality, thirst quenching with medium body

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RegionSonoma County, CA
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Production173 cases
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Alcohol13.6%
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Aging PotentialEnjoy now or watch this wine evolve over the next 5-10 years!

Donelan Family Wines sources Roussanne from both the Dry Stack (64%) and Vivio (31%) Vineyards, which are only a mile apart. Of the two, Vivio is higher in elevation in the Bennett Valley, while Dry Stack is rockier. Both vineyards are east-facing.
The Viognier comes from the beloved Kobler Family Vineyard.
Native-yeast fermented in neutral puncheons, with 11 month élevage in 100% neutral French oak.
The hallmark characteristic of the Bennett Valley Roussanne used in this blend is extremely slow ripening, with harvests consistently falling well into October. We attribute the intensity on the nose to the fruit’s time on the vine, maturing slowly, with complex flavors evolving long before sugar accumulation.
92 pts – Vinous (2017 vintage)
93 pts – Wine Advocate (2014 vintage)
91 pts – Vinous (2014 vintage)
93 pts – Wine Advocate (2013 vintage)
90 pts – Wine Enthusiast (2013 vintage)
93 pts – Wine Advocate (2012 vintage)
90 pts – Vinous (2012 vintage)
91 pts – Wine Advocate (2011 vintage)
91 pts – Vinous (2011 vintage)
90 pts – Wine Advocate (2010 vintage)
90 pts – Vinous (2010 vintage)
