© by Nigel Lelew There are two things which surprise me about this article. The first is why it has taken me so long in this series of articles to get to write about Viognier, surely one of the great grape varieties of the wine world. The second is why you don't see more of it. The plain fact is that every time I taste Viognier varietals, I wonder why people aren't clamouring at the doors of supermarkets and off-licences demanding more! Viognier is a white grape variety whose home is in the northern Rhone valley in France. In fact, although a white grape, it is an "unseen" ingredient in the Rhones' Cote Rotie appellation where reds are allowed to have up to 20% of this white grape in their blend. The real beauty is that Viognier is allowed to shine on its own in a couple of appellation areas within it's home in the Rhone valley. Condrieu is a small appellation some 50km south of Lyons, where 80 hectares of terraced vineyards produce one of the rarest wines around from the Viognier grape. But the production in Condrieu is huge compared to that of Chateau Grillet, the smallest appellation within France, where Viognier is produced in a single 4 acre vineyard on the west bank of the Rhone. Here it produces a tiny shipment of wine of around 2 000 bottles a year, which is consumed largely by the locals ... they don't know how lucky they are!! So with this kind of pedigree is it any wonder that Viognier is one of the best kept secrets of the wine world. Luckily for us Viognier has been recognised as a rising star and is now starting to be grown in a number of areas around the world, including southern France, California and Australia, where it can produce wines which reflect the taste and style of those rare French classics, but luckily not the price. So whats all the fuss about? Well, quite honestly wine that you've never tasted before, is the simple answer. The wines are dry with a fatty kind of peachy, apricot fruit and an aromatic floral aroma. Some people believe that Viognier will become the next wonder grape that will sweep the world like Chardonnay has. It may do but it's a long way off. What I do know is that once tried it you'll never forget the taste and its one which you'll want time and time again. So lets tempt you with a couple of wines made from this wonder grape. For our first bottle we'll stay in France, the home of Viognier, and go to the south where an Australian winemaker has teamed up with a couple of French vineyard-owning brothers to make 1997 Cuckoo Hill Southern French Viognier, which is a snip in Waitrose at £4.99. A dry white wine, it has an exotically fruity aroma with the hallmark fresh peachy apricot taste - trust me, one taste and you'll be hooked, and at this price you can afford to be! We move across to California for my second offering. 1997 Fetzer Viognier is a hugely alcoholic 14.5%, whose colour is golden and whose richness and peach fruitiness comes from the very first taste of this huge, warm Californian white which you can go and buy from Waitrose at £7.49. Go and spoil yourself and experience the taste that is Viognier ... its very well worth it! If you have any comments or questions please e-mail me at wineshop1@aol.com
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