During the 1990s winegrowers from other parts of the Rhône and further afield in France saw the mounting interest in Viognier. Initially the grape was grown to blend with other whites - and reds, bringing extra character to well know varieties, and softening the syrah wines of the Côte Rôtie. Temperamental it may be but versatile it certainly is. Now it is increasingly being grown in its own right enlarging the range of pure Viognier wines on the shelves of specialist wine shops and supermarkets alike. Many of these wines are lighter, less concentrated that their Condrieu cousins. Nevertheless they retain something of the distinctive Viognier character of spring fruit and floral bouquet and they sell for around the £5 to £6 mark …… well within the pockets of most white wine drinkers. Total plantings in the whole of the Rhône today amounts to almost 740 hectares. Look for Viogniers from the Ardèche, Languedoc(1390 ha), Roussillon(86 ha), and the Pays du Gard and Provence (110 ha) .... click here for more |
