Viognier
Viognier | |
---|---|
Grape (Vitis) | |
Color of berry skin | Blanc |
Species | Vitis vinifera |
Also called | Bergeron, Barbin, Rebolot, Greffou, Picotin Blanc, Vionnier, Petiti Vionnier, Viogne, Galopine, Vugava bijela[1] (more) |
Origin | Croatia, France |
Notable regions | Worldwide |
VIVC number | 13106 |
Viognier (French pronunciation:
Outside of the Rhône, Viognier can be found in regions of North and South America as well as Australia, New Zealand, the Cape Winelands in South Africa, south Moravia region in Czechia,
Like
The potential quality of Viognier is also highly dependent on
History
The origin of the Viognier grape is unknown; it is presumed to be an ancient grape, possibly originating in
The origin of the name Viognier is also obscure. The most common namesake is the French city of Vienne, which was a major Roman outpost. Another legend has it drawing its name from the Roman pronunciation of the via Gehennae, meaning the "Road of the Valley of Hell". Probably this is an allusion to the difficulty of growing the grape.[5]
Viognier was once fairly common. In 1965, the grape was almost extinct, and a source reported only eight acres in Northern Rhône producing just 1,900 liters of wine at that time.[4] The popularity and price of the wine have risen, and the number of plantings has increased. Rhône now has over 740 acres (299.5 hectares) planted.[4]
In 2004, DNA profiling conducted at University of California, Davis showed the grape to be closely related to the Piedmont grape Freisa, and to be a genetic cousin of Nebbiolo.[2]
Viticulture
Viognier can be a difficult grape to grow because it is prone to
In France, the
Wine expert Remington Norman has identified two distinct strains of Viognier — an "Old World" strain, most common in Condrieu, and a "New World" strain, which is found in the Languedoc and other areas. Although made from the same grape, the two strains produce distinctly different wines.[5]
The age of the vine also has an effect on the quality of the wine produced. Viognier vines start to hit their peak after 15–20 years. In the Rhône, there are vines at least 70 years old.[7]
Regional production
Viognier has been planted much more extensively around the world since the early 1990s. Both
The decline of Viognier in France from its historic peak has much to do with the disastrous predations of the
France
In France, Viognier is the single permitted grape variety in the Rhône appellations of
North America
Since the late 1980s, plantings of Viognier in the
The grape can also be found in
South America
Both Argentina and Chile have significant plantings of the grape with some producers in Brazil and Uruguay also experimenting with the varietal.[2]
Australia
In Australia, Yalumba is the country's largest producer of the grape making both a white wine varietal and making extensive use of the grape in its Shiraz blends.[2] Yalumba grows the grape in the loam and clay soil of the Eden Valley.[6] Other areas with Viognier plantings include Clare Valley, Rutherglen, Murray River, McLaren Vale, Geelong, Nagambie Lakes, Canberra, Mornington Peninsula, Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, Geographe, South Burnett, Yarra Valley (Pimpernel Vineyards) and Pyrenees
New Zealand
In New Zealand, small amounts of Viognier are grown on
Wine
Viognier wines are well known for their
It is a grape with low
In winemaking, the grapes are often harvested early in the morning to produce the clearest juice possible. Some winemakers will allow contact with the skins. The skin of Viognier is high in phenols - compounds that can leave an astringent component to the wine if juice is left in contact with the skins for too long. Sometimes the wine is put through malolactic fermentation to give the wine more weight and to decrease acidity. In New World Viognier, the lees may be stirred in a process called batonnage in order to increase the smooth texture of the wine. The wine is then left on the lees till bottling in a manner similar to sparkling wine production.[7]
In the creation of the dessert style Viognier, the grapes are often picked in late October or early November in the Northern Hemisphere. A common harvest technique used in the Condrieu is known as à l'assiette where a plate is held underneath a Viognier vine that is then shaken to allow the overripe grapes to drop onto the plate.
Depending on the winemaking style the grape can often hit its peak at one-two years of age, though some can stay at high levels of quality up to ten years. Typically Condrieu wines are the Viogniers most often meant to be drunk young while Californian and Australian wines can handle age a little bit better.[13]
Food pairing
The highly aromatic and fruit forward nature of the grape allows Viognier to pair well with spicy foods such as Thai cuisine.[14]
References
- ^ "Viognier information". University of California, Davis Integrated Viticulture Online. Archived from the original on 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
- ^ ISBN 0-19-860990-6
- ^ ISBN 9781905819157
- ^ a b c Enjoying Viognier.com
- ^ ISBN 0-15-100714-4
- ^ ISBN 0-15-100714-4
- ^ ISBN 0-15-100714-4
- ^ "Viognier". Domaine Gerovassiliou. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ ISBN 0-15-100714-4
- ISBN 0-15-100714-4
- ISBN 0-15-100714-4
- ISBN 1-56305-434-5
- ISBN 0-15-100714-4
- ISBN 1-56305-434-5
External links
- Viognier: California's Exotic, Rare White Wine
- Viognier in Australia
- Grapes of the Rhône Valley: Viognier from the Tablas Creek blog
Further reading
- Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst; Wine Lover's Companion; Barron's; ISBN 0-8120-1479-0(paperback, 1995)