What To Do With Viogner

Viogner is a grape that I had not really paid much attention to until about 2 months ago when it appeared as a subject at a blind tasting and it was all we drank that day. It is certainly one that I pay heed to now: the blend of dried fruit and spices and the intensity it delivers is something to marvel at. Generally one thinks of the Rhone Valley in France when Viogner is mentioned and that is where I'll start. There it can be made as a single varietal wine, as in Condieu where it can command premium prices, or as part of a blend - sometimes in red wines for freshness and aroma, sometimes in whites.

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On the whole these regions lend themselves to very impressive wines that are extremely food-friendly, if a little expensive. As the area is very hot and Viognier ripens relatively quickly, there is a fine balance to attain when harvesting to ensure the right amount of sugar and development. They are generally quite light on the nose, with hints of sweet white fruit, herbs and white pepper. The palate is long, slightly sticky, with notes of peach, licourice and heavy peppery spices, as well as an intense minerality gained from the soil that is a marker of its quality. These, coupled together with a herb and spice-crusted rack of lamb dish, or even a moderately spiced curry, would be a match to remember. 

To the south of the Rhone Valley is the Languedoc region. This area of France has a slightly different strain of the Viognier grape which is more prominent across the New World, yet does quite well in the hot, arid landscape to the south. Generally the New World strain of Viognier gives notes of apricot and honeysuckle. This with the lack of minerality distinguishes the two. A perfect example of a Languedoc Viognier is Baron Phlipe de Rothschild's which is priced at around 8-10 pounds per bottle. A rich mellow nose leads into a high alcohol yet complex palate with honeysuckle, apricot, peach and a spicey finish. All in all, a wine of impressive structure for the price.

Moving further away from Viognier's homeland as it were, Australia has been planting a vast amount, especially in the Eden Valley. As one would expect, the style is much more aggressive, full-on and powerful. A great example and a wine very much worth trying, with or without food, is Yalumba's Eden Valley Viognier, for around 15 pounds. It smells strongly of toasted sesame seeds and the alcohol which makes up 14.5% (rare in a white wine of any varietal) is well integrated. The palate is deeply nutty and layered with stone fruits such as apricots, dried mangoes and touches of citrus peel. With a rounding spicy finish to bind the whole thing together, it would be perfect with spicy lamb, anything seasoned well with rosemary, or to be a bit different, perhaps  a sweet seafood meat, such as crab. 

In short Viognier is an interesting grape that is now yielding much more than the expensive classics of the Rhone Valley. It is a legitimate way to explore pairing spicier foods with wines and most of the time, it works. The structure, spice, and fruit has traveled well around the New World, especially in Australia: it is definitely a grape to explore.