Viognier

It is a variety that is mainly used for blending white wines and some red wines from the Rhone region. It is said to have been brought to France from the Balkans, but its DNA is very similar to the Freisa variety from Piedmont.

Viognier was first made famous by the Condrieu region, which has only 100 hectares in the northern part of the right bank of the Rhône River. In appellations such as Côte-Rôtie and Saint-Joseph, it is a rare variety that is allowed to be blended with Syrah at up to 20% in red wines to complement them.

Outside the Rhône region, it is also widely grown in the south of France, especially in Languedoc, and has enjoyed great success in other European countries such as Spain, Italy and Switzerland, as well as in the United States, Australia and South Africa.

Although it is tolerant to dryness, it is vulnerable to powdery mildew caused by humidity. Although it is a resistant variety, it is only suitable for a very limited number of soils, preferring poor, dry, stony soils. It is also not tolerant to wind, so care must be taken with the Mistral that blows through the Rhône Valley.

The bunches are small to medium in size and tubular in shape, sometimes with a slight shoulder. The kernels are small and round with thick skin.

Because the sugar content tends to increase, the alcohol content is often high. Although it is a white wine, it has a rich, rounded body and a firm structure, and you can feel the volume spreading in your mouth.

The nose is impressive, with white and yellow fruits such as apricot and white peach, as well as floral notes such as acacia and violet. As it ages, it develops aromas of musk, spice cakes such as cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, tobacco leaves and stewed apricots.

Viognier is a white wine with a rich flavor, so it goes well with river fish, white fish, cream sauces such as langoustine, and cheese soufflé. It also goes well with asparagus, which is generally considered difficult to pair with wine.

It also pairs well with chèvre cheese (goat's milk cheese), particularly Péraldon or local Rhône chèvre.

In addition, its aroma and fruity flavor make it a great pairing with ethnic cuisine such as Thai or Vietnamese.