I may have French blood running through my veins, but my French pronunciations are pretty horrific, so every time I say the word viognier it comes out slightly different. But according to google it is pronounced vee·aa·nyei.
So now that we know how to say it, what can we expect when we drink it. The viognier grape is an aromatic one, so as soon as you lift the glass to your mouth you will get a nice scent of peach, apricot, pear, honeysuckle and some nice spice notes. It is often described as having an oily texture or feel in the mouth. It is a full-bodied wine with lower acid but higher alcohol content. It can be lightly oaked or unoaked and is often used in blends with Chardonnay and Syrah.
The Viognier grapes are thick skinned and have a high sugar content (hence the typical high alcohol percentage). They need warm to hot conditions to ripen and ripen late into the season. So, the conditions must be right for planting these grapes. They were almost extinct in the Rhone Valley in the 1960s but have made comeback there and all over the world since.
You can find good quality Voigniers in Northern Rhone, Southern France, Chile, Argentina, Australia, California and even specific sites in Canada.
If you are looking for a good white that smells delightful and leaves a lingering feel in your mouth. Voignier is the way to go. They are getting easier to find around the world and can stand on its own or brings its best qualities to the wine it is blended with.
~TPW