Australian Wine from
Alternative Grape Varieties

Viognier White Wine Variety

The Viognier wine variety is making a huge impact on the Australian wine industry. If you are quick you may get onto the band wagon of this wonderful Rhone variety. There are lots of bargain wines still around. If you are becoming a little jaded by Chardonnay and can't quite cop the aggressive characters in Sauvignon blanc then this variety may be the drink for you.

A Food Pairing for Viognier

My friend Kim Steele has a wonderful website called Easy French Food.

One recipe in her collection that has caught my eye is for Poulet à l'orange - Orange chicken with fennel and onions. This is a richer dish in the French style that would be well matched with a fuller bodied Viognier wine

First a little history. The Viognier white grape variety was rescued from near extinction just a few decades ago and is now one of the hottest varietals going around. Legend has it that the variety was introduced, along with Syrah, to the Rhone Valley during the Roman occupation.

After two millennia of barbarian invasions, dark ages, wars and the ravages of time just a few hectares of Viognier were left by the 1960s. It occupied a small corner of the Rhone around Condrieu where it made cult wines known only to a small group of enthusiasts. But the word got out and thanks to modern viticultural techniques Viognier is now widely planted in the Languedoc and Ardeche in France as well as in Italy, California and Australia.

Viognier's future in the Rhone is now assured. The wines made from the variety are at their best rich and sensual, in a word voluptuous. Many plantings are still really only in their experimental phase. It may take a couple of decades to see the best.

In the meantime there may be some disappointments and variation from year to year. There just isn't enough knowledge and experience around yet for there to be consistent results from vineyard practices and winemaking technique.

The ripening of the process of the grapes is regarded as idiosyncratic in this variety. The fruit flavours seem to arrive in a rush at the end of ripening, so patience and a strong nerve is required to avoid picking too early. It is therefore quite likely that there will be strong variation from vintage to vintage.

The flavour of varietal white wines made from Viognier are often described using comparisons with the aromas of flowers, peaches and stone fruits and spices.

Viognier wine is best enjoyed with food, and these dry white wines are robust enough to be paired with quite aromatic or mildly spiced dishes. There are some other food pairing ideas in the Albarino to Zinfandel Food Pairing recipe collection.

Viognier wines will probably age well, but they are very good young - so why wait?

Australian wineries using Viognier include

Alan and Veitch Adelaide Hills

Shiraz Viognier

Viognier is increasingly popular as the white partner in co-fermentation with Shiraz. Only a small proportion of the white grapes is used. One Shiraz winemaker from Heathcote district in Central Victoria reckons that just two percent of Viognier is the optimum amount for his Shiraz. Other makers are using between five and fifteen percent.

During fermentation the flavour and colour compound of the two varieties combine. The result is greater depth of flavour and a brighter colour.

More about Shiraz Viognier...