A Bird In Hand Needs Wine

Thankfully, white wine is finally gaining some renewed respect from wine drinkers, so much so that I believe slipping a few bottles onto the dining room table Christmas Day will only heighten your reputation as a wine drinker in the know.

Of course, not just any old white wine will do -- sauvignon blanc is not a fit and a great deal of chardonnay will not work with the bird. Riesling, chenin blanc and gewürztraminer can be first-rate foils for turkey, but the wine that makes the most sense for 2007 in this market has to be viognier.

Now just to keep you reading, I will include one unbelievable pinot noir bargain at the end of this column -- but promise me you will give the viognier a chance first.

By the way if you can pronounce viognier, (vee-oh-NYAY) you just may come to enjoy the wine even quicker.

There are essentially two styles of viognier grape, first made famous in the tiny appellation of Condrieu in the Northern Rhone Valley. The crisp, mineral style emanates globally from the cooler sites while the rich, almost tropical exotic versions come from warmer sites. That said, just to keep you honest there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to the style of viognier, no matter where it is grown.

Be it rich, palate-filling and full of wild flowers, orange and honey, or the simple clean, crisp white with a broad mineral streak running through it, there appears to be a natural attraction to the fat meaty flavours of turkey (and ham, for that matter) along with stuffing and most of the other accoutrements that come with Christmas dinner.

Now, what to buy. Here are some picks for the bird and, as you can see, they are relative bargains too.

Look for a full open, floral, spicy aroma with bits of orange and honey in the background when you open a bottle of Moillard Viognier Huges le Juste 2005. On entry it is a mix of mineral and floral peachy fruit with a smooth, oily mid-palate and finish. Just a touch of residual sugar should help it deal effectively with any heat or spice on the menu. Good value in an introductory-style, European viognier. Now under screwcap.

Each year the Serame Viognier 2006 impresses. Look for plenty of the fresh mineral honey notes on the nose spikes with bits of ginger and apricot skin. The palate is relatively weighty for such a straight-up style, with more honey mineral ginger notes and a refreshing clean light finish. Terrific value and perfect for roasted birds and or Pan Asian foods.

Can a warm California, Lodi site produce a crisp viognier? The answer is yes, and what a pleasant surprise the Clay Station Viognier 2005 turned out to be. This wine is really delicious for the price but even better is the fruit mix of peaches and guava with bits of honey and passion fruit. The finish is clean and fresh with orange blossom undertones. There is fine value here.

Still in California the McManis Family Vineyards Viognier 2006 is a warmer version of the grape, with more spice and ginger threaded through the mineral nectarine fruit nose. The palate is on the heavier side with oily textures and tropical flavours mixed with ginger, honey and orange. It is a big, fresh, powerful style that could easily handle roast turkey and all the trimmings.

It's great to see Anakena Single Vineyard Viognier 2006, a former restricted listing sold in private wine shops, now available in government stores. This is quintessential cool-climate New World viognier from Chile's Rapel Valley. Love the ginger melon mineral nose, the dry palate with mineral honey pink grapefruit notes and the general vibrancy of this wine. Be sure to serve this with bird and keep the bottle down at your end of the table.

Okay, I promised a killer pinot noir at the end of this column so here it is. The Santa Rita Reserva Pinot Noir 2006 is about as good as it gets for under $15. The first 100-per-cent Leyda bottling made from eight- and nine-year-old vines comes with an enticing spicy, licorice, black cherry, rootsy, smoky nose flecked with vanilla, orange peel and floral aromas that far exceed its price. There is fine acidity balance and the alcohol is very well managed. Enjoy its black cherry jam, orange peel, compost, celery salt, licorice, and caraway flavours. It's completely New World but with fine concentration and great fruit. It represents terrific value and it's ready to drink. Buy this one by the case.

MOILLARD VIOGNIER HUGES LE JUSTE 2005, Languedoc, France

Price: $12

UPC: 03180421092833

Score: 86/100

Remarks: Good value in an introductory-style European viognier. Now under screwcap.

SERAME VIOGNIER 2006, Languedoc, France

Price: $12

UPC: 3258691206646

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Perfect for roasted birds and/or Pan Asian foods.

CLAY STATION VIOGNIER 2005, Lodi,

California

Price: $19

UPC: 5011932008632

Score: 88/100

Remarks: This wine is really delicious for the price.

MCMANIS FAMILY VINEYARDS VIOGNIER 2006, California

Price: $22, private wine shops only

UPC: 6705800067177

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Fresh powerful style that can handle roast turkey and all the trimmings.

ANAKENA SINGLE VINEYARD VIOGNIER 2006, Valle Del Rapel, Chile

Price: $17.50

UPC: 07809539100006

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Keep this bottle at your end of the dinner table.

SANTA RITA RESERVA PINOT NOIR 2006, Valle De Leyda, Chile

Price: $14.99

UPC: 7804330622115

Score: 89/100

Remarks: This is terrific-value pinot for current drinking.