Viognier

Viognier is a white-skinned grape of Vitis vinifera, the European wine species. Its birthplace is the northern Côtes du Rhône in France, most closely associated with the Condrieu appellation and the tiny Château-Grillet enclave. Its parentage is not firmly established; genetic work in Montpellier shows a close relationship to Mondeuse blanche, though Viognier is treated as a distinct variety. There are no officially recognised synonyms in France or the rest of the European Union.

After near-extinction in the 1960s, plantings rose sharply and the variety is now global. France still holds the largest share, with acreage in the northern Rhône and the Languedoc, and the grape is listed in EU variety catalogues for Austria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain. It is also grown in the Czech Republic, and outside Europe in California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Argentina and Israel.

In the glass, Viognier is typically medium lemon in colour and highly aromatic, with stone-fruit flavours of apricot and peach plus honeysuckle and ripe pear. The wines are medium to full bodied with medium-plus alcohol and relatively low acidity, occasionally showing a slight bitterness. They are usually made dry, though the grape can also produce sweet or sparkling wines and can be blended with Syrah.