Viognier - The White Grape Hope

It's a quirky grape to be sure, but it's a grape that has spread around the world in the last decade from its Northern Rhone base to Australia and California, Chile and even the Okanagan Valley.

It's not an easy grape to grow. Mildew is a problem, yields are less than ample and seldom predictable. But when it's right, viognier's golden colour and the aroma of fruit and flowers can be shockingly good.

The colour and nose often suggest a sweet tasting wine when in fact viognier is invariably dry. It is best known for its mineral/apricot, peach and spice flavours, together with high alcohol (often over the 13-per-cent mark) and low acidity.

If there's a notable difference between the New World and the northern Rhone viognier it probably stems from the age of the vines. The vines producing the best wines are more than 20 years old and they are almost all in the Rhone where some are 70 years or older.

At the first Australian Viognier Symposium held at the Yalumba winery in the Barossa Valley last year, Yalumba owner Robert Hill Smith described viognier as, "quixotic, not exotic." Speaking at the same event, British wine writer Robert Joseph said, "The only thing I know about viognier is that if you think you know the answer, you didn't understand the question."

Today we look at three very different New World viogniers along with some companion red wines from the southern Rhone to satisfy any of you craving red wine too.

Young vines have their virtues, one of which is the high quality of their first and second crops. That's the case with Jackson-Triggs Viognier Proprietor's Reserve 2002 from the Okanagan. It has a spicy mineral, honey citrus nose with a perfumed character that jumps out of the glass. It's warm and rich on the palate with round, soft, slightly sweet fruit flecked with hints of honey, apple skin and orange marmalade.

It is big and intense on the palate, and frankly a touch alcoholic, but it's impressive nonetheless for such a young wine. For the moment it offers great value; we can only hope the price remains sensible as the accolades build.

All in all, it is an amazing statement for what is a relatively unknown grape in B.C.

Yalumba is world leader in viognier research and production and it shows in its entry level label: Yalumba Viognier Y Series 2002. The nose is fully developed with mineral, honey, pear, butter, citrus and peach aromas. The textures are rich, round and slightly oily. On the palate more fresh mineral flavours with a buttery, dried lychee fruit and citrus rind aftertaste. Fine intensity and balance makes this good value, introductory viognier.

Cono Sur Viognier 2002 is this week's budget version and while it's a long way from the complex versions of Condrieu, it's a great place to start your viognier voyage. It's a blend of Colchagua and Casablanca fruit that has the all-important, enticing honey/peach nose with floral mineral notes.

On the palate it remains dry with mineral citrus flavours and quite a fresh orange marmalade finish. Delicious, well made and attractively priced.

Selling the idea of an all-white wine evening is tough, so feel free to pair any of the above with any of the following reds from the southern Rhone for a complete dinner experience.

The Laurent Charles Brotte Les Brottiers 2001 has a simple nose with a dusting of spicy cream and dark berry fruit. It's a light, peppery, easy-sipping red that finishes dry, warm and lean. A simple everyday Côtes du Rhône red.

The Perrin Reserve 2000 Côtes du Rhône is nice step up with its creamy, raspberry jam aromas and spicy, meaty, licorice nose. The blend is a smooth mix of grenache, shiraz, mourvèdre and cinsault with sour raspberry/cherry flavours and a warm, dry, peppery finish. Not as ripe as you might expect in 2000 but nevertheless a solid red.

Our final pick is the highly touted Château Pesquié Les Terrasses 2000 from the Côtes de Ventoux. Look for a peppery, spicy, cardamom character up front with super smooth mid-palate followed by a somewhat rustic finish.

This is one big chunky, black cherry flavoured red, spiked with pepper. It's young and there are plenty of lean dry tannins to shed but it should shine over time. The blend is grenache/syrah; grilled lamb would be a perfect match.

Weekend Wine Tasting

Jackson-Triggs Viognier Proprietor's Reserve
2002, Okanagan Valley
$14.95
06365700570
15.5/20
Ripe mineral fruit flecked with honey and orange marmalade.

Yalumba Viognier Y Series 2002, South Australia
$17.99
931178947597
14.5/20
Honey, pear, butter, citrus rind and peach flavours.

Cono Sur Viognier 2002, Colchagua -- Casablanca, Chile
$11.99
780432040540
15/20
Enticing honey/peach nose with floral mineral notes.

Laurent Charles Brotte Les Brottiers 2001, Côtes du Rhône, France
$14.99
32176610277
13/20
Light peppery easy sipping red.

Perrin Reserve 2000 Côtes du Rhône, France
$17.99
63147000013
14/20
Smooth rich peppery sour cherry flavours.

Château Pesquié Les Terrasses 2000, Côtes de Ventoux, France
$17.95
62699000537
15.5/20
Chunky black cherry flavours spiked with pepper.