Old World vs. New World Round Seven: Viognier!

In a vinous twist of fate, I put off researching this article to focus on studying for a test. Naturally, the first question on the test wanted a deep dive into Viognier . Fortunately, the actual studying supplied me with this information. But I’m betting you don’t want the glorious details of whether Viognier is an early or late bloomer (trick question it’s mid-ripening!), if it takes well to oak (yup!) or what soils it thrives in. Actually, I will tell you that in the section on Condrieu because you never know when you will need to explain what arzelle is. Oh! Important fact. It is pronounced vee-own-YAY. Yay. It has a parent-offspring relationship with Mondeuse Blanche , meaning we don’t know who begat who. Remember the song “I’m My Own Grandpa”? You’re not. You’re just having a Viognier day. Fun fact: it also may be related to Freisa , which is offspring of Nebbiolo , making it a cousin. Is that fact actually fun? I’m not sure, I’m jaded by studying for a test that made me know what arzelle is. These days Viognier has been blooming up its blowsy self everywhere from its homeland of France to California. It also makes appearances in Washington, Australia and Virgina. I tasted a bunch of examples and for your sake decided to focus on France, California, and Virginia where I can’t help but think it became Virginia’s signature grape because the alliteration of Virginia Viognier is sexy. Or at least catchy. Nearly extinct in the 60’s, in the height of the Rhône Rangers planting Rhône varieties in California, Viognier came back into fashion. And why not? It is a rather golden wine, in color and spirit. It will be a full-bodied beast, most likely dry but the texture and body may lead you to find it a tad sweet. There will be orange blossoms and apricots and honeydew and honeysuckle. And there’s something herbal about it. At least to me it has a hint of bitter. The acid will be on the lower side and the alcohol on the higher side i.e. if not handled well it can be a flabby flask-filler (see what I mean about alliteration?) and wholly unsatisfactory to drink. But picked at the right time and treated well—which may include oak!—Viognier can be fantastic. Oh! And shower Viognier? See my conclusions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CALIFORNIA Oddly, many of the California Viogniers seemed more Old World in approach. Or at least I encountered less New World oak flex, and more acid and striving for balance. I actually had to narrow down my favorites considerably. Darioush Possibly the acme of Viognier. I have to say this was my favorite. But WOW. It has the body and power of an Ailey dancer with the grace and personality of…well Ailey dancers have that too. Can you tell I’m an Alvin Ailey nut? Well I’m also now a Darioush nut. Oh you wanted the flavor? White peach soup garnished with the crispest and coldest honeydew shards sipped alternately from clay pots and tiny teacups in a damp sunrise dawn in a mystical meadow. Zaca Mesa There’s a touch of savor to this dry yet round wine, in the way that a sweet wine rolls in your mouth. Except this is not sweet. I got apples, pears, and a retention of a vibrancy j’adore. Is it wrong to say I loved it because I wouldn’t have known it was Viognier? VIRGINIA Aside from alliteration, Viognier is possibly also a star in Virginia because it has the thick skin to stand up to the state’s humidity. So look for it—I must warn it is not so easy to locate—but worth the quest. 2016 Barboursville Vineyards Reserve Viognier Stone fruit, buttery, daffodils, flowers! It is as light and zippy as the Virginia reel danced by hipsters in Highland Park, which is a real thing I’ve taken part in in Los Angeles. And being as such when I ordered, tasted and adored this winery’s offering, I was not amazed to find out it was in fact the same winery I had tasted years ago. Barboursville does consistently good work year after year! FRANCE Condrieu and Chateau Grillet are where this is made for the most part, and like a good neighbor I tested a whole lot of these for you. Actually I’d be either the neighbor you’d hate for drinking your wine, or love for making you cookies and dog/cat sitting for a small fee plus your animal’s undying love. Sorry, been having the pet version of a biological clock ticking. Oh and that arzelle soil? It’s decomposed mica. The more you know. 2017 Guigal Condrieu 100% new oak babieeeeee! It smelled flinty like Chardonnay and tasted buttery and oaky also like Chardonnay but sans the acid and with a whiff of distinct floral aromas. I liked it and I don’t normally go for oak. So if you do you may just go wild for this wine. 2016 Christophe Pichon Condrieu If there is such a thing as Christmas in rich Burgundy, this is that. This Condrieu has that marvelous thing I can only call…gas? Flint? On the nose I smell a lot that would make me think Burgundy. It has a well-balanced level of luxury level oak (actually only 30% new) and RICH AF semi-tropical notes slow-dancing with allspice n’ pumpkin pie spice, and this wine turned me off at first then enticed me more with each sip. So who got my love? Who won this ongoing battle? In all honesty, I gotta say California is killing the game. I will also say Viognier is a grape difficult to handle and to some extent you get what you pay for. Don’t be afraid to spend on this. And at long last I know you want to know which Viognier I’d lather up with a flute of. I am into the Virginia Viognier. VV forever. And it makes sense that a humid state could fulfill my need for a silky shower sip. I call it the VV in the SSS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Want to read more from Ellen? Check out her recent articles: Summer Cocktails: Sparkling not Spritzing Up Your Life Old World vs. New World Round Six: Syrah! May Day! May Day! Emergency Drinks in Dire Straits Pink Wine, Pink Wine Everywhere Seder Sips Old World vs. New World Round Five: Zinfandel! But Is It Vegan? Classic Pairings for the Veggie Soul: Pairing Five You can also listen to Ellen's podcast with Shaughn Buchholz, The Wine Situation here .