For
every fan of perfumed, heady, full-bodied white, wines made from the
Viognier wine grape are a must.
And
for every fashion-conscious wine-lover, Viognier wine is currently top of
the list.
FRANCE
All grapes from France's Rhone Valley seem to be enjoying a vogue,
and that's where this exotic white vine comes from. Viognier (it's
pronounced Vee- on-yeh) is seriously cool in wine-drinking circles
right now. Which is a good thing when you get your hands on an
impressive bottle of the stuff, and a big disappointment when you
come across a dud.
The
problem with Viognier, you see, is that if it's made properly, with
low-yielding vines, and thus concentrated grapes, and careful work in
the winery, it is sublime: a lingering mouthful of squashy ripe
peaches, dried apricots, with a gorgeous fragrance of honeysuckle and
white blossom.
Nothing
else quite conjures up heady late summer so well.
But,
sadly, there are lots of dilute versions around which don't have much
perfume, and which are insipid or taste of artificial pear-drops.
These have simply been made from vines with high yields of grapes,
which may be fine for the grower who wants to sell a lot of fruit,
but means that the resulting wine lacks that all-important perfumed
peachiness. Sometimes a flabby and disappointing Viognier means it
has become too ripe, losing its crispness and concentration. You get
the picture - Viognier needs attention
in the vineyard and it is not always great, although when you catch
the scent of a good one, you'll see what all the fuss is about.
To
make sure you get all that natural peachy fruit and lovely aroma,
pick one from the Condrieu area of the Rhone. These wines are
opulent, intense and heady... and extremely expensive. The south of
France, especially the Languedoc, makes cheaper, less concentrated
versions.
These
offer a reasonable introduction to Viognier, but do avoid the
bargain- basement ones which can be flabby (lacking acidity) and
disappointingly dull.
REST
OF THE WORLD
Since Viognier wine became so sought-after, it hasn't been a surprise to
see the newer wine-producing countries start to have a go at it.
Most
successful is the US, where decent rich wines with firm, crisp
acidity are being produced in California. You might come across one
or two fairly well-made Viogniers from Argentina, Australia and South
Africa, too.
Seek
them out. They will be fruit- driven, packed with peaches and held
together with a creamy seam of oak. Expect more Viogniers to appear
on the scene since this grape is so much in vogue. And of course,
because winemakers love a challenge!
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