Every Thursday I feature a wine I particularly enjoy, whether it’s something new and different, is a great value, or from a producer worth checking out.  For this week, my Wine of the Week is the 2013 Campovida Viognier Campo di Robles.

The Winery

Campovida is a family owned and operated certified organic farm and working vineyard located in Hopland, California in Mendocino County.  It’s a unique place that offers deep connections with nature, wine tasting, a professional culinary kitchen, a 10-room retreat center. It’s a place where you can relax, enjoy and create your custom gatherings. The property is located on a site that was formerly the Fetzer Valley Oaks Food & Wine Center , a 51-acre property originally opened and founded by the Fetzer family.

The husband and wife team of Gary Breen and Anna Beuselinck are owners of Campovida. The couple purchased the property intending to make it their dream home. But it’s evolved into Campovida.

My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Campovida last year.  We were very impressed by the couple’s vision, the property, and the wines.

The winemaker is Sebastian Donoso. Sebastian, who was born in Chile, moved to the United States with his family when he was 14. He attended architectural school in Miami, Florida, but quickly realized that’s not what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.  He moved to California and graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in enology and began his career as a winemaker at Sarcina.  He’s been the winemaker since 2012.

The winery produces a total of about 2,000 cases of wine annually.

Campovide has two tasting rooms, one in Hopland, and one in Oakland, CA.

The Wine

This Viognier comes from Campovida’s estate, “Campo dos Robles” (field of two oaks) vineyard.  It is a CCOF Certified vineyard located in the town of Hopland along the banks of the upper Russian River. The site’s river-bed gravelly loam soil provides an ideal site for growing world-class Rhone white wines.

The wine was aged in neutral French oak for five months with lees contact and stirred once a month to increase mouthfeel.  No malolactic fermentation.

14.2% alcohol; Retail – $36; 135 cases produced

My tasting notes follow:

Pale golden-yellow color with appealing white peach, apricot, honey, and a hint of floral aromas. On the palate it’s medium-bodied, fresh, and persistent with focused peach, melon, apricot, and honey flavors. Lingering finish.