Viognier

This stylish and rare grape originated in Condrieu in France's northern Rhône Valley, and has been planted more widely in southern France and the New World in recent years. Its apricot, floral and peach flavours are a refreshing alternative to the repetitive oak and fruit flavours of big New World Chardonnays. In fact, Viognier's best quality may be its vastly different flavour structure compared to Chardonnay, making it a good choice for those seeking a Chardonnay alternative.

Heady and with a rich scent of apricots and spring flowers, Viognier is an aromatic dry wine so luxurious that it seems almost sweet. It can have a powerful, rich, and complex aroma with over-ripe apricots mixed with orange blossoms or acacia. Like Gewurztraminer, it has a distinctive and sweet aroma-flavour profile; however, Viognier is usually made in a dry style which will appeal more to the typical Chardonnay drinker.

Both Viognier and Chardonnay share tropical fruit flavours and a creamy mouthfeel. Even with little or no wood aging, Viognier can be as full-bodied as an oaky Chardonnay, but has much more distinctive fruit character. It also has a typically deep golden colour, as well as rich and intense flavour.

The grape must be picked at optimum ripeness - if picked too early and under-ripe the resulting wine can be thin, dilute and unbalanced, whilst if harvested too late the wine will lack the grape's distinctive peach and honeysuckle aroma.

The distinctive Viognier perfume holds up even when blended with a large portion of other grapes. Californian wineries are currently experimenting with Viognier-Chardonnays, Viognier-Chenin Blancs, and Viognier-Colombards. Viognier is also sometimes used to add fragrance and to soften and lighten the syrah in Côte Rotie.

Flavours and Bouquet:
Rhone and Languedoc (France), California, Chile, Australia and South Africa

Main Growing Regions:
Apricots, peaches and flowers.

Viognier and Food

With the aromas and flavours of apricots and peaches, Viognier is a natural match with pork, which has an affinity for both. However, if you substitute Viognier for Chardonnay in any food-wine pairing, you won't be disappointed.

With its perfumed aroma, Viognier is excellent with the more exotic recipes such as Thai coconut-based curries. It's also a good choice for dishes like lobster, roast chicken and plainly sauteed sole or trout.

Trying it Out

The northern Rhone valley of Condrieu is the home of Viognier. The smallest recognized appellation in France is Chateau Grillet, a single estate within Condrieu, where the grape approaches world-class status: A bottle of Chateau Grillet will fetch at least £80, and is said to age well forever in the bottle. Less expensive but certainly noteworthy versions of Viognier come from the surrounding Condrieu vineyards.

Good Viognier doesn't usually come cheap. For bargains, look for varietal Viognier from big French producers. Inexpensive vin de pays varietal Viognier has caught on in the French countryside, at least for export. These budget wines are often good value in terms of quality, particularly when compared with similarly priced Chardonnay. Viognier should be drunk young and fresh - the scent doesn't last forever.

For around £5 to £10 try: