Viognier

Introduction

Viognier is a wine variety which seemed to be on the endangered list but in the recent years both its popularity and production have increased. Viognier was once a very rare wine variety which was grown in the Rhone region in France. The wine is known for its fruit like aromas and is also used in making Champagne. Viognier is also used to soften red wines. It is grown in countries like U.S, Brazil as well as Australia.


History

Viognier is assumed to be an ancient grape which was first grown in the Dalmatia region and was then brought to Rhone due to the invasion of the Roman empire. It was in Rome that the grape production increased and the wine gained its popularity. However by the 1960’s the wine started to become extinct with only 35 acres used for grape cultivation. However by the 21st century the wine regained its popularity and by the year 2002 about 2001 acres are used for Voignier cultivation in the California region itself.


Viticulture

The only major drawback of this wine is that it is difficult to grow. It gets easily affected by the pests specially in the cold and humid conditions. In order to display its unique features and aroma the grapes must be plucked from the plant only when they fully ripen. The grapes have high sugar content but low acid content which results in neutral taste and high alcoholic content. Due to its cultivation problems as well as its rarity the producers sell the wine at a relatively higher price which makes it one of the most expensive wines in the market.


Characteristics

The main attraction of the wine is its powerful, rich and complex aroma which resembles that of an apricot. Though the wine has an aroma resembling the Gewurztraminer it is suitable for a Chardonnay drinker. The prime appeal of the Viognier is its fresh aroma. It is a wine which should be consumed when it is young. Though the wine is suitable to the Chardonnay drinker it leaves a sweet taste in ones mouth and quenches the thirst of drinking wine in one shot itself.


Food Pairing

As to food pairing, Viognier works well with those dishes that blend well with Gewurztraminer. Spicy dishes like the Thai styled curries form a good combination with the wine. Fruit salads, grilled fish as well as chicken can blend miraculously well with Viognier. The wine tastes well with Japanese dishes like sushi and sashimi as well as with French cheese.

Regions

France

In France majority of the grapes are grown in vineyards along the west coast of the Rhone river. These vineyards spread till 50 to 60 acre in area. The wine produced is sometimes also used to blend with Chardonnay and is then marketed around the world. The Viognier is also blended with red wines in the southern regions of France as the wine helps provide a stable colour to the red wine.

United States

The USA is the second most largest producer of Viognier. The area for plantings has increased tremendously in the last five to ten years. The grapes are grown in states like New York, California, Virginia, Missouri etc. The wines produced in California are the most acidic in content while those from Virginia taste the sweetest.

South America

In this content the grapes have been grown only since the past 5 years. Hence this region is not known for its Viognier production. The wines produced here are marketed at a cheaper price. Grapes are grown in countries like Chile, Brazil, Argentina etc.