February 1, 2019
2017 vaalea - 93 pts from Wine & Spirits
This is a bright and focused blend of grenache blanc and roussanne, with viognier contributing to the fresh lime-blossom notes. Kevin Jussila dry-farms these young vines at his organic estate in western Paso Robles; to sustain the freshness in the wine, he harvested the grapes early and did not allow malolactic fermentation. You might find lime zest and lemon curd flavors integrated into the brisk, smoky finish. And you might pair the wine with roast halibut and lime-papaya salsa.