Viognier

Viognier is one of the most exuberant white grapes in the world. Its intense aromatic profile—peach, apricot, jasmine, ginger—and unctuous texture make it an almost cosmetic experience. Its historic home is Condrieu, in the northern Rhône, where it produces prestigious dry white wines. It's a demanding grape: vigorous, with phenolic ripeness that arrives late (after sugar accumulation), forcing late harvests and naturally high alcohol. Its relatively low acidity makes it better for young drinking than long cellaring, though there are notable exceptions. A fascinating practice: in Côte-Rôtie, traditionally a small portion of Viognier (5–10%) is co-fermented with Syrah. It sounds odd but it works—it helps fix color and brings floral perfume to the red. In Argentina there are good Viogniers in Valle de Uco and San Juan, generally from wineries keen to explore beyond Malbec.