Back in 1965 the Viognier grape almost became extinct with it's vines covering only eight hectares in France. Twenty years ago this grape variety was still relatively unknown. However, in the last ten years there has been a huge surge in popularity with bottles regularly appearing on supermarket shelves at a reasonable price.
The wine originates in the northern Rhone valley but has since been grown in the Languedoc-Roussillon as well as Provence. The majority of wines available are white but the grape is also used in red wines but tends to be blended with another grape (e.g. shiraz / viognier).
The wine is full bodied and powerful yet soft, dry and smooth. It has tastes of a whole variety of things including lychees, mango, appricot and vanilla as well as springtime, honeysuckle and lime. This wine is great with fresh fish, lobster and roast chicken as well as just enjoying chilled on a lovely summer's day!
Australia, Chile and South Africa are all now growing this grape and producing wines. This is not for the faint hearted but still remains one of the most fashionable of the moment.
Most wine sellers offer a good selection on Viognier with the average price around £8 - £10. Both Majestic and Tesco offer a good choice. Try Majestic's Viognier Reserve Speciale 2010 Gerard Bertrand, Vin de Pays D'Oc at £7.99 (buy 2 save £1 per bottle).
