Viognier
Once confined mainly to France’s northern Rhone valley, this finicky white varietal has now been planted worldwide with many fine examples from California, Australia, and southern France.
Flavor Descriptors
Relatively low in acidity, Viognier is generally soft, luscious, and full-bodied with pronounced floral perfume notes of apricot, honeysuckle, and ripe peaches. Although usually dry, it can seem sweet due to its low acidity and heady fruit flavors.
Food Pairings
Grilled fish, scallops, chicken and herbs, sausage jambalaya.
Buying, Storing, & Serving
Viognier should be served chilled, but not ice cold.
Almost all examples are ready to drink when released and should not be aged more than one year. A general rule of thumb is fresher is better. Â
Store bottles in a cool, dark place. While it is now common for wine makers to use plastic corks or screw-top closures which may be stored vertically or horizontally, those with the traditional corks should be laid on their sides to keep them moist.