The 2012 Mezzodi opens with a pale golden color and easy tones of citrus and sweet peach. The blend is 70-30 Vermentino and Viognier and the wine’s natural glycerin adds noticeable thickness to the finish Anticipated maturity: 2013-2014. Husband-and-wife team Franco Batzella and Khanh Nguyen (born in Vietnam) have embraced a raisonnee agricultural philosophy based on the principles of organic farming since founding their estate in 2000. More recently, they have started to convert vineyard parcels according to an even stricter organic approach. The couple worked at the Work Bank before embarking on their winemaking adventure and studied winemaking at universities in Davis, California and Bordeaux, France. Franco and Nguyen are presenting a new wine, the Viognier Vox Loci for the first time and have also changed the name of their Syrah from “Bliss” to Vox Loci. The Latin term means “the voice of a place.” Importers: Total Wine & More; www.totalwine.com; Simon’n Cellars; www.simonncellars.com