If you’ve tried viognier you already know it’s a white wine full of surprises – fragrant, fruity, full-bodied, and adaptable to plenty of foods.

For those of you still sitting on the sidelines, what are you waiting for? The pronunciation isn’t too tricky (vee-ohn-yay) and if you’ve tried chardonnay and enjoyed it, then viognier is just a baby step away.

Washington wineries provide a great place to begin your viognier tasting, and a few selections that I’ve recently enjoyed include the Kestrel Vintners 2007 Estate Viognier (about $22) from Prosser. This versatile wine has a pleasant aroma of honeysuckle and citrus, peach and melon flavors, a spritz of acidity and a lightly oaky, yet creamy finish. It’s a natural to pair with fish, poultry or cream-based pasta dishes.

I’ve also been extremely impressed with winemaker Paul Portteus’ current releases and his Portteus Vineyards 2007 Viognier (about $24) is no exception. Although he’s been in the wine industry for almost 30 years, this is Portteus’ first vintage of viognier – and it’s a grand slam. It features a bouquet of tropical fruits, plenty of fresh peach and apricot flavors and a lingering, yet dry finish capped by a touch of vanilla. Outstanding!

Start with a subtle fragrance of peaches and sweet alfalfa, and then dive into a glass of Zefina 2007 Viognier (about $20) from Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills appellation. It’s loaded with nectarine and honeydew melon flavors, along with a finish that’s both creamy and textured with a bit of a spicy edge. This big, well structured viognier is powerful, yet elegant and it’s indicative of the terrific wines of this varietal being produced in the Pacific Northwest.

For more information on these and other wines visit each winery’s web site at www.kestrelwines.com, www.portteus.com, and www.zefina.com.

Like clothing and hairstyles, wines seem to fall in and out of fashion. Pinot noir has been a popular choice as of late. A decade ago, merlot was the “in” wine to be drinking, and in the 80’s chardonnay was the undisputed favorite of any wine fashionista.

Now it’s rieslings turn.

Back in the 70’s, sweeter, fruity wines were the order of the day and Washington riesling was a perfect fit. Then as wine drinkers tastes matured and moved towards drier white and red wines, riesling was viewed by many as too one-dimensional and fell out of favor.

But today’s riesling is much more diverse in terms of style and taste. While it is sometimes still made with a fairly high sugar content, more often it’s produced in a dry to off-dry (slightly sweet) style. This transformation has made the wine attractive to many who are rediscovering it as well as a new generation of wine drinkers trying it for the first time.

Riesling is also an incredibly versatile food wine. It provides a nice contrast to well-aged cheeses and spicy Asian cuisine and complements a wide range of foods from salmon to roasted chicken to fresh fruit. It’s also a great starter wine, served chilled for sipping before the first course.

Here are some Washington rieslings I’ve tried as of late and think you might enjoy:

Columbia Winery 2006 Cellarmasters Riesling (about $11) – Bursting with peach and apricot flavors and backed by a surprising but pleasant touch of spice; this wine is reminiscent of a Gewurztraminer. The finish is also fairly sweet, but not overwhelming.

Nefarious Cellars 2006 Riesling (about $18) – Gentle flavors of baked apple, pear and tangerine melt into an off-dry finish. This elegant wine is a fine effort from the relatively new Chelan winery.

Milbrandt Vineyards 2006 Traditions Riesling (about $12) – Lovely orange blossom aromas are followed by delicate orange flavors, and an underlying mineral quality with a faintly sweet finish. This unique riesling is indicative of just how far the varietal has evolved over the past 30 years.

Let me premise today’s column by saying this – go buy these wines now.

Two local wineries are currently offering a newly released white wine, each of which provides consumers with even more good choices from an already impressive portfolio of wines.

Mount Baker Vineyards features its first ever 2006 Roussanne (about $20). I like to think of this wine as somewhat of an upgraded chenin blanc without the high acidity. With a fragrant nose, gentle flavors of honeysuckle, and a soft, lingering finish, it makes an excellent aperitif and also pairs well with a variety of mild cheeses. It’s unique, delicious, and first class in every respect.

At Chuckanut Ridge Wine Company, the much-anticipated 2006 Bunny LeBlanc (about $15) is, quite simply, off the charts.

It starts with a base of 80 percent chardonnay, with the balance consisting of equal parts viognier and pinot gris. The viognier provides the wine with a fragrant aroma and a nice, well-rounded mouth feel while the pinot gris adds just a touch of bright acidity. Lovely flavors of lychee nut and subtle peach are capped by a lengthy finish. This wine truly is the complete package and, in my opinion, sets a very high bar for Washington white wine blends.

Production for the Roussanne was only 106 cases while the LeBlanc topped out at about 100 cases. Sources have told me that a good portion of these wines have already been accounted for and the remaining quantity – no one is saying exactly how much – is going to go fast.

In other words, go buy these wines now.

Tildio Winery 2006 (about $15): I really liked this Sauvignon Blanc from Washington’s Columbia Valley because I thought I offered a nice alternative to some of the overly acidic New Zealand Sauv Blancs that literally slap you in the face.

The wine’s acidity is certainly present and accounted for, but it’s more subtle than you might think. And it’s balanced nicely by gentle flavors of melon, citrus and pear, which make it an excellent wine to serve with food. Another interesting sidelight…the wine is virtually colorless. Best place to buy it locally: Compass Wines in Anacortes. For more information visit www.tildio.com.

Okanogan Estate & Vineyards 2005 (about $13): A fine follow-up to the 2004 vintage, this winery from North Central Washington continues to impress.

This is really a nice, almost plump Pinot Grigio, with generous baked apple and pear flavors that melt into a crisp, lingering finish. For more information visit the winery website at: www.okanogonwine.com.

Eola Hills Winery 2005 (about $11): A natural with seafood and shellfish, this wine is loaded with apple, pear and melon flavors with a nice balance of acidity.

A slightly creamy texture gives the wine a bit of a plump finish that I found to be most enjoyable. Another well-priced wine from Oregon’s Willamette Valley.