VIOGNIER: ELUSIVE AND SUBLIME
By Leslie-Ann Sheppard
Looking for a different white wine to try?

How about something with exotic flavors and a slightly floral, lightly spiced bouquet? If your mouth waters at the thought, just wait until you actually have a taste of one of the rarer white wine delicacies: Viognier.

It is pronounced 'vee-on-YAY'- except in Australia, where they turn it into 'vee-ON-yer'. Like most grape types, Viognier traces back to ancient Europe. It is speculated to have been brought up the Rhône River by Greek or Roman sailors sometime between 600 and 400 B.C., along with another great Rhône varietal-- Syrah.

Viognier then put its roots down in the tiny commune of Condrieu, in the northern Rhône Valley of France. It is there, in Condrieu, and in the even tinier neighboring community of Chateau Grillet that the Viognier grape has been cultivated and successfully vinified. It is the Viognier grape that is able to carry the expression of this unique spot in France, where the growing conditions are pretty marginal.

The soil in Condrieu is comprised of granite, decomposed rock, mica, schist and clay. The roots of the Viognier vine must burrow deep down to get their nutrients, producing grapes that have mineral notes intertwined with a stony steeliness. Burrowing into the earth is also one of the only ways for the Viognier vines to cling to the steep slopes on which they grow, constantly threatened by erosion from the sometimes very heavy rains.

But the weather conditions are not the only difficulty in growing and producing Viognier. Difficult to plant, it is also easily susceptible to certain mildews that can ruin the grape clusters. It is a finicky grape that leaves little room for error in vinification. If picked too early, Viognier can be thin, tart, and too acidic. Picked too late will result in the sugars being altogether too high to even complete a successful fermentation. Thus, only the experts can produce a great wine that truly represents what Viognier can be.

Which leads us back to Condrieu. It is in this relatively new appellation (created in 1940) where the Viognier experts thrive. It is the only grape grown there, so the winemakers truly connect with their grape, and of course with the land that feeds it. Some of the top producers are

Chapoutier, Yves

Cuilleron, Andre Perret, Marcel Guigal, Rene Rostaing and Georges Vernay. Bottlings from these and other great producers are difficult to find (land under vine and wine production are tiny) and are relatively pricey, with some bottles commanding well over $100.

Why make the splurge? If made well, Viognier evokes the stone fruits of peaches and apricots, as well as the minerality of the land. It is not a wimpy wine, but is fuller in body, with mouth-coating viscosity, perfect acidity and haunting length. Honeysuckle, fruit cocktail and apple blossom are other aromas and flavors often perceived by tasters of Viognier.

Aside from the Rhône Valley, Viognier is grown in the south of France, and increasingly in New World areas of California, Australia, Chile, and just about anywhere else where there is a winemaker with a penchant for this Rhône white. It is also a popular blending grape, best exemplified in Côte Rôtie, where winemakers are allowed to blend up to 20 percent Viognier with the red grape Syrah for their amazing signature red wine. In California and Australia, Viognier shows up in many different blends, adding more complex fragrance and body to some wines.

These blends are generally much less expensive than the coveted bottlings of Condrieu. There are also bottlings from some of the great producers that are not vineyard or site specific, and are also less expensive. These wines can be fun to try and can be less of a commitment for the uninitiated. But be advised: it is difficult to find a good Viognier grown and vinified outside of its native neighborhood. I am always on the lookout. I

Leslie-Ann Sheppard is the proprietor of The Cellar, an eclectic wine and cheese shop on Surfside Road.