Big and Busty; Viognier
This year avoid the advances of trashy Chardonnays and Pinot Grigios and go for something that has a little more class. Viognier (pronounced Vee-on-yay), a white grape once confined exclusively to eight hectares in the Northern Rhone, has been successfully pioneered in the New World and now returns to the Old World in style.
Think fresh ripe peaches and apricots, warming spices and golden honey. Couple this with an extraordinarily heady aroma of flowers and a wonderful oily, buttery-soft richness on the tongue and you have opulence in a glass. People are often surprised by the taste of Viognier; the colour and nose hinting at something sweeter but the actual taste being dry with a variety of sensual nuances, both on the tongue and afterwards.
Viognier is, not surprisingly, something of a cult wine. In its homeland of Condrieu in France, all its qualities come together to produce Viognier at its very best. Low yields, difficult growing conditions and late harvesting contribute to the exceptional, concentrated and complex flavors of Condrieu that ensure prices well over 4.000 kr a bottle.
Fear not, Viognier is now affordable and widely available thanks to fine examples coming out of Australia, California and South Africa. Vinbudin stocks two single varietal New World Viogniers; the American 'Clay Station' (which, incidentally, makes some very good well-priced red wines) at 1.690 kr and the Yalumba Y Series at 1.590 kr. These would be good wines to have at Chardonnay vs Viognier tasting, or in place of the usual bland Chardonnay at the dinner table. For those feeling plush, Vinbudin also has a Condrieu at 3.990 kr, M. Chapoutier's 'Invitare', but I have yet to taste it. Robert Parker has given the Invitare 03 and 04 vintages an impressive 89 points and says of the 04, it "possesses abundant mineral-like characteristics along with hints of litchi nuts, orange rinds, and honeysuckle. It is a fine Condrieu from a top-flight vintage".
Viognier’s other attribute is that it’s compatible with a wide variety of foods. It goes well with strong flavoured fish dishes (such as fried salmon), pork, chicken, Asian and Mexican cuisine, ripe Stori Dimon and fresh fruit. So forget those bland Chardonnays you’ve always bought and keep your eye out for one of these Viogniers next time you're on the hunt for a classy white wine.
Condrieu; "A wine that just oozed sex and sensuality” - Oz Clarke