Viognier

Viognier is a French white-wine grape variety most commonly found in the Rhone Valley of France and California. These aromatic wines are best consumed young and vary in character.

My comment:  Become familiar with Viognier before it is discovered by the masses.  This wine has the potential to become the next ‘chardonnay’ in popularity.
Like Chardonnay, this varietal may be produced in the “new world” style of barrel aging to impart a creamy feel, or may be produced in the “old world or Burgundian style of little oak and fermented in stainless steel vats.

History

Viognier is a very ancient grape which originated in Dalmatia. It is believed that it was taken to Rhône by the Romans. Some also believe that it has been growing in Rhône for at least 2,000 years.

Viognier was once a fairly common grape.  Now it is a rare white grape grown almost exclusively in the northern Rhône regions of France. Around the 1960s, the grape was almost extinct when there were only eight acres remaining in Northern Rhône. The popularity of the wine, as well as its price, has risen and thus the number of plantings has increased. Rhône now has over 740 acres of this varietal planted.

Viognier has been planted much more extensively around the world since the early 1990s. Both California and Australia now have significant amounts of land devoted to the Viognier grape. There are also notable increases in planting in other areas of the United States as well as in other countries.

In France, Viognier is the single permitted grape variety in the famous appellations of Condrieu and Château Grillet, which are located on the west bank of the Rhône River, about 40 km south of Lyon. The wines of Condrieu are the most famous and most expensive Viogniers in the world.

Viticulture

Viognier is a difficult grape to grow because it is prone to mildew. It also has low and unpredictable yields and needs to be picked only when fully ripe. When the grape is picked too early, it fails to develop the full extent of its aromas and tastes.

In fact some wine critics feel that the terroir (microclimate) of the regions of France, where it traditionally is grown, is essential to its best expression in wine.
This grape prefers warmer environments and a long growing season, but can grow in cooler areas as well. It is a grape with low acidity; it is sometimes used to soften wines made predominantly with the red Syrah grape and is blended with other white and red varieties, but it can make outstanding wines by itself. The color and the aroma of the wine suggest a sweet wine but Viognier wines are predominantly dry, although sweet late-harvest dessert wines have been made.

Tasting Notes as a Varietal
Viognier produces an intense, dry white wine, lots of fruit and a flavor mingling apricot, apple, peach and violet with a hint of honey and honeysuckle.
The best quality Viognier wines are well-known for their floral aromas, due to terpenes, which are also found in Muscat and Riesling wines. There are also many other powerful flower and fruit aromas which can be perceived in these wines. (More than one wine enthusiast has even detected aromas of Fruit Loops breakfast cereal in Viognier). Depending on where they are grown, the weather conditions and how old the vines are, with vines greater than twenty years old thought to be superior to younger vines. Although some of these wines, especially those from old vines and the late-harvest wines are suitable for aging, most are intended to be consumed young. Viogniers more than three years old tend to lose much of the floral aromas that make this wine unique. Aging these wines will often yield a very crisp drinking wine which is almost completely flat in the nose.  Thus, Viognier is best drunk young.

It is beautiful with lightly spiced Asiatic dishes or with medium to strong cheeses. It is also an unusual, but a good choice for simply prepared lobster, roast chicken and sole or trout.

The Tasting:
I invited some good friends to bring some food that might pair well with Viognier so we could taste and compare recipes with the wine.

Here are some wines that we tasted and some of the foods we enjoyed with each. Each wine was served chilled and allowed to come to room temperature as we tasted.  As with many white wines, they gained in complexity as they warmed.  The obligatory ice bucket is not needed for these wines once they are opened.
The comments that follow come from experienced wine tasters.  None of the wines were supplied by the wineries for this tasting so comments are not clouded by winery influence.

2004 Clay Station Viognier, Lodi California 13.5% alcohol by volume $12.
The surprise of the night.  This would have done very well to just precede the Darioush.

Consensus:
Extremely smooth, full of melon with a touch of floral.  Pear on the front with hibiscus and flavors of Crème Brulee.  Some thought it might not stand up to spicy food though.  Others disagreed.

Secondary thoughts:
Beautifully clear, pear, melon, slight floral and citrus.

Food Pairings:
We had fresh Mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes with fresh basil garnish.  PERFECT.

NV Jewel Viognier, California

Consensus:
Traditional flavors – peach and floral – not much nose at all.  Hints of light pear and apricot.  Better once it warmed up.  13.5% alcohol by volume.  $10.00

Secondary thoughts:
Fruity – light.  No distinguishing fruit.

Food Pairings:
We had a spicy salsa and chips which over-whelmed this wine.  This wine calls for lighter spices and more delicate foods.

2005 EXP Viognier (R H Philips), Dunnigan Hills

Consensus:
Always a consistent product year to year. Exotic nose – hints of lechee, mango and other tropical fruit.  Fruity and went great with the crab.  Richer wine on the palate.  Barrel fermented.   14.5% alcohol by volume, $12.00.

Secondary thoughts:
Exotic fruit.  No tree fruit.  Good food wine. 

Food Pairings:
Crabmeat and avocado with Remoulade sauce was excellent.

2005 McManis Viognier, California

Consensus:
Totally a pear and floral wine – from the nose to the long finish and extremely creamy.  13.5% alcohol by volume, $12.00.

Secondary thoughts:
Hints of floral as the wine warmed above 60 Degrees F.

Food Pairings:
Smoked salmon was a little more than the wine could handle.

2005 Fess Parker Viognier, Santa Barbara County

Consensus:
No real nose.  Very complex.  Had a bite to it from the high alcohol content. Hints of nectarine and tangerine.  Creamy finish.  Had tartaric acid remaining in the bottle. – 15.2% alcohol by volume, $19.

Secondary thoughts:
Tartaric acid, thicker feel and taste than many others.

Food Pairings:
Romaine salad with a creamy Caesar style dressing.

2004 Turnbull Viognier, Oakville, Napa, California

Consensus:
Full of flint – minerals.  Hints of spice and floral with white raisins.  14% alcohol by volume, $29.

Secondary thoughts:
Clear – minerally.  Hints of spice and white raisins.

Food Pairings:
Olive Tapenade or tomato salsa with Bruschetta.

2004 Darioush Viognier, Napa, California

Consensus:
Extremely concentrated fruit.  Rich – full bodied – spicy and thick with honey and floral overtones.  A decadent Viognier.  14.7% alcohol by volume. $43.
Even though others had wonderful Viognier characteristics, everyone agreed this wine was worth the $43 per bottle price.  I have several vintages of the Darioush Viognier and the earlier ones have held their true Viognier characteristics for 4 or more years from bottling date.

Food Pairings:
This was a perfect compliment to grilled chicken with a cilantro pesto accompanied by grilled pineapple.

My conclusion

Viognier, like Chardonnay has many styles and a wide range of tastes.  Wine makers have an arsenal of processing techniques and they come up with a wide array or characteristics.

Some may be flat with little taste and some have a wonderful bouquet and a wide range of exotic flavors.

If you are tired of the same white wine and seek an adventure, try a Viognier or two.