Add viognier to the list of white wine varietals that are becoming increasingly popular among Northwest wine drinkers.

Originating in France, viognier was virtually non-existent in the United States as little as 20 years ago, but it has gradually gained a foothold here – particularly in California and Washington. It’s an amazing comeback, considering that the grape was on the verge of extinction in the 1960’s when less than 10 acres survived in France’s Rhone Valley.

Viognier produced in the Northwest is generally characterized by a light golden color, floral aromas, and luscious flavors ranging from peach to tangerine to apricot. It tends to be fairly high in alcohol and is usually made in a drier style, although off-dry and sweeter late harvest options are also available.

Compared to other white wine varietals, the viognier grape produces lower yields per acre, and the simple economics of supply and demand mean that you’ll likely see it in the higher end price range. But when you factor in what viognier has to offer in terms of flavor, tastes and variety of styles, the few extra dollars are easily worth it.

Next week I’ll offer a few recommendations of viognier produced by Washington wineries.

Wine Note: Taste Washington, touted as “the ultimate wine experience” will be held in Seattle this coming weekend. Saturday, April 4, features a day-long slate of wine-related seminars at Bell Harbor International Harbor Conference Center, while Sunday, April 5, showcases over 200 Washington wineries and 60 Seattle-area restaurants in the Grand Tasting at Qwest Field Events Center. This is a must-attend event for anyone with even a passing interest in good food and great wine.

For more information including ticket purchases visit www.tastewashington.org.

The basic elements of taste in food – sweet, sour, salty and bitter – are familiar to most everyone, but did you know there’s a fifth element as well?

Discovered by a Japanese scientist, umami (oo-MAH-mee) is a taste sensation that’s best described as meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids. You can experience umami in foods such as anchovies, mushrooms, aged cheeses and, if you like to go that route, foods prepared with MSG.

Factoring the umami element into the foods we serve can be helpful in selecting a wine to go with them. This is because wines can also display an umami, or savory characteristic, which enables them to better complement and enhance the flavors of similar foods.

Although white wines really don’t fall into the savory category, several red wines do, including sangiovese, tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon and especially pinot noir. This can be particularly useful when trying to serve a food that ordinarily doesn’t pair well with a red wine.

For example, vegetarian dishes that usually fair better with white wines can be enhanced with intensely flavored mushrooms and then served with a pinot noir. A Caesar salad, normally reserved for a chardonnay, can be a nice complement to a lighter style sangiovese after you toss in a few anchovy filets.

Just keep in mind that not all red wines display the umami element of taste. So when in doubt, read the wine label to look for clues from the winemaker on qualities the wine displays, such as savory or earthy rather than overly fruity.

If the label is non-descript, do the next best thing – buy it and try it and then if you experience umami you’ll have a much better idea of what foods to serve with the wine at a future meal.

A recent outing to Eagle Haven Winery, located on the North Cascades Highway about 4 miles east of Sedro Woolley, turned out to be much more fun than I anticipated.

The tasting room is apparently quite popular with the local crowd, and in fact, a few of them dropped by for a glass of wine during my visit. It’s a warm, inviting room lined in knotty pine and includes something you rarely find at a winery – swivel chairs to sit in while you sample wines at the tasting bar. Think Dick Cavett meets the Deming Logging Show and you’ve got the idea.

Current releases include four white wines, all priced at $16 each. They include a 2006 Madeleine Angevine that displays a beautiful nectarine aroma and a bone dry finish, and a 2006 Madeleine Angevine Reserve, that’s slightly peachy and resembles a lighter style viognier. Also available are the 2007 Siegerrebe and a 50/50 blend of Madeleine Angevine and Siegerrebe that features a hint of spice and a faint sweetness on the finish.

A couple of the red wine offerings really shine and I’m pleased to give them a must-try recommendation. The 2006 Yakima Valley Sangiovese ($20) makes an excellent food wine with red cherry flavors, nice acidity, medium tannins and a zesty finish of oak and allspice. The 2004 Syrah ($20) is drinking extremely well, with a lovely aroma of sweet alfalfa, and a round, elegant texture and flavors of chocolate cherry.

The winery also features several fruit wines that I didn’t sample including red apple, pear, and blackberry.

A bit of bad news: with the exception of a few Skagit County locations, including Compass Wines in Anacortes, the only place you’re likely to find these wines is at the winery. But that’s not such a bad thing. It’s only about a 40 minute drive from Bellingham, and the homey tasting room atmosphere easily makes the trip worthwhile.

Current hours are 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday, expanding to Thursday through Monday beginning in April. More information: www.eaglehavenwinery.com

Today I’d like to offer a few recommendations from Challenger Ridge Vineyard & Cellars. The winery and tasting room are located near Concrete and you’ll also find their wines at several Bellingham grocers and wine shops.

One of the best things about Challenger Ridge wines is variety, with current releases that include a wide range of white, reds, blends, and even something sweet for dessert.

White wine favorites include a barrel fermented 2007 Pinot Gris (about $13), that features plenty of citrus flavors along with a slightly creamy finish and big mouth feel. The 2007 Viognier (about $13) is also a rich, full-bodied wine, with generous peach flavors and a lengthy finish.

Winemaker Randy Bonaventura’s dogs, Faye and Gordon lend their names to two outstanding red wine blends. With a base of syrah – along with malbec, tempranillo and just a dash of viognier for aroma – the delicious 2007 Faye (about $20) suggests subtle flavors of dark cherry and chocolate.

The 2006 Gordon (about $20) is a blend of five red varietals consisting of cabernet, cabernet franc, malbec, petit verdot, and merlot. It’s a sturdy, herbaceous and savory wine that will pair well with a beef entrée or can easily be cellared for future enjoyment.

Filled with strawberry aromas, the 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir (about $36) is a remarkable release that transforms into a sultry, smoky red wine with a touch of pepper on the finish. Despite the fairly hefty price, this is a mandatory purchase for any true pinot noir fanatic.

To finish up, try the 2007 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc (about $20 for 375 ml). It displays an intoxicating nose of sweet alfalfa along with an 8 percent residual sugar content that yields a honey-like finish that’s not overwhelmingly sweet.

If you like to venture out to wineries and do your tasting and purchasing at the source, Challenger Ridge Vineyard & Cellars hits the trifecta for Washington wine drinkers. With an experienced and knowledgeable winemaker, a full range of reasonably priced red and white wines, and a beautiful location in which to enjoy them, this is truly a must-visit destination.

A few weeks ago I spent some time at the winery with winemaker Randy Bonaventura, who previously worked at wineries in Oregon and Washington (including Mount Baker Vineyards) before taking over the winemaking duties at Challenger Ridge in 2006.

You can’t get much more hands-on than Bonaventura, whose residence is adjacent to the winery’s eight acres that are planted mostly with pinot noir grapes. After tracking his wines the past several years, I’ve always felt that his forte is taking a good varietal and finessing it with just the right combination of other grapes to make it a near-perfect wine. His current releases continue to reflect this, and I’ll cover some of them in more detail next week.

The winery’s tasting room is located in a 100-year old farmhouse, nestled on a gently sloping hillside along the North Cascades Highway, just west of the town of Concrete. It’s an easy one hour drive from Bellingham, with plenty of beautiful scenery to take in along the way.

If you can’t make the trip, Challenger Ridge wines are available at several local restaurants, including Bayou on the Bay, Skylarks, and the Grand Avenue Ale House. You’ll also find them in Bellingham at the Barkley and Meridian Haggen stores, Community Food Co-Op, and Purple Smile Wines, and in Anacortes at Compass Wines.

Next week: A few recommendations from Challenger Ridge Vineyard & Cellars.