"viognier" news and stories

Viognier is a delicate white wine. Each glass swims with floral aromas and a hint of tropical fruit that's more easygoing than it is aggressively acidic. A good-quality Viognier has a balanced structure that effortlessly evolves into the finish. It's also a very versatile grape that can handle a cool-weather climate, as in Washington's Columbia Valley (two we tasted are from this region), as well as hot-year-round states like Texas.

Pasta dishes with rich white sauces pair well with Viognier, as does fish, or salads with bright, intensely flavored ingredients such as roasted beets, orange slices or sharp, creamy chèvre.

After the jump, seven Viogniers from around the U.S. that we highly recommend.

I paid far too much for this out at a restaurant the other night but that's no reflection on the wine. In general when faced with the wine list and heading for the white side I tend to look for a viognier because it's a touch different than your run-of-the-mill chardonnay and it's agreeable with most food. Most viogniers have a nice fruity/floral nose and a flavor that is less oaky than a chard and less sweet than a gewurztraminer or a riesling. Also, I find myself being an advocate for this grape just because it's not as widely known in the U.S.  I'm not alone in my viognier love, there is a whole website, Enjoying Viognier, devoted to the cause.

We paired this with fish and it did quite well. Its lightly honeyed taste made it a nice apertif and it lingered well into dessert. Bridlewood is a Santa Barbara winery that makes a variety of midrange ($15-$35 retail) wines that are not earth-shatteringly memorable but are very agreeable and often appeal to a wide variety of palates. This one retails for around $16 and is definitely a match with summer's lighter foods.

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