Viognier

Viognier (VEE-oh-nyay) is an aromatic white wine, and my wife’s favorite white. For those who crave a softness and want less or no oak, Viognier might just be to your liking too. The wine will show notes of peaches, mangoes, honeysuckle, and other tropical fruits. Envision over-ripe apricots mixed with orange blossoms. The wine is well known for its floral aromas, which are also found in Muscat and Riesling wines. The color and aroma of the wine could lead you to believe it is a sweet wine, but Viognier’s are predominantly dry. This wine is meant to be consumed while it is young, as it has a tendency to lose its aroma with age.

The Viognier grape is low in acidity, and sometimes used to add fragrance and to soften wines made with the Syrah grape. An example would be French Syrah Cote Rotie. The Viognier grape is the only grape used for the Northern Rhone Appellation Condrieu and Chateau-Grillet (look to spend $50.00+ for Chateau-Grillet). The origin of the grape is unknown. It is presumed to be an ancient grape, and brought to the Northern Rhone by the Romans.

Viognier likes the company of rich tasting seafood such as crab, lobster and scallops. Add some cream sauce to heighten the pairing. If you typically serve Chardonnay at Thanksgiving, try opening a bottle of Viognier to compare. Serve Viognier with your butternut squash, sweet potatoes and turkey. Also, give Viognier a go with Thai food or Sushi.

Chardonnay and Viognier share tropical fruit flavors and a creamy mouth feel similar to crème brulee. Viognier can be as full-bodied as a Chardonnay, but offers much more distinctive fruit characteristics. If you’re a Charonnay lover, you might want to give this wine a try! I recommend trying the following, which are under $25.00: Yalumba Eden Valley from Australia, Zaca Mesa from California, Miner Viognier from California, Fess Parker from California, or Robert Hall from California.

Until next time, cheers!