Balancing Heart ‘Evolve and Inspire’ Viognier 2019

A confession. My heart was anything but balanced tasting these wines racing at a thousand beats a minute. Even though I am technically within the city limits of Brizzy, I am surrounded by the rural. So it does get a bit David Attenborough at times – turtles, birds, catfish, water dragons all enjoying the creek which runs almost under the balcony, and even an occasional platypus. But there are lines to be drawn. So, when happily tapping away, something catches my eye. A rather large snake, definitely not a python, is swaying back and forth, having a very close look at me, from about three feet away. Thankfully there was glass in between. But it is a bit unnerving. Shooing away and even tapping on the glass pane did not bother it in the least. I guess it is fully aware that it is way more poisonous than I am. 

The wine. No one will mistake this for anything other than a full force Viognier. Classically varietal with that spicy attractive Viognier nose. And apricots everywhere. Apricot flesh, apricot perfumes and apricot kernels. Not to forget the dried apricot notes. Some dry herbs and florals but they are drowning next to the stonefruit. It is undoubtedly a love-it-or-hate-it style, but if you like full throttle flavours in your wines then this is for you and you’ll rate it more highly than I have. Finishes with some lovely orange blossom notes. Drink over the next 2-3 years.

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.

Wine writer and critic