2006 Stolpman L'Avion

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Time to get off the beaten path and try an extraordinary white from the Central Coast that's not Chardonnay! That's right, another white wine can be just as full-bodied and rich as a Chardonnay. This blend of 90% Roussanne and 10% Viognier blew us away when we tasted this in September. We had already purchased a ton of the Syrah from Stolpman (which is a steal at $16.98, by the way) and wanted to check out some of the other wines from them. The wine that gave us the "Wow factor" was the L'Avion. Unctuous, exotic, and rich. Flat-out delicious juice! We quickly held up our shipment of the Syrah to add some of the L'Avion.

Tom Stolpman decided to experiment with Roussanne in a narrow, straight valley used in the 1930s and 1940s to land the previous owner's small plane. Hence the Avant-Garde label and name L'Avion "The Airplane."

The Roussanne (a late ripening grape) is typically picked in mid-November at Stolpman Vineyards whereas the Viognier is normally picked in early October. They left the Viognier on the vines until just before they picked the Roussanne. The Viognier was essentially picked late harvest. And even though they used 10% percent Viognier by fruit tonnage the actual liquid represented just 3%. Maybe that's too much information. The wine is plain awesome!

Robert Parker 94 points

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Reviews

Robert Parker 94 Points

The 2006 L’Avion, a blend of 90% Roussanne and 10% Viognier, is even better than the 2007. A full-bodied, dry white offering copious quantities of honeysuckle, and a hint of that petroleum/terroir-like character that one finds in a late harvest wine from Alsace. However, this is a dry, beautifully rich, layered, perfumed white that represents an excellent example of what can be achieved in California’s Central Coast with top-notch whites. It should drink well for 2-3 years.