A Splash from Your Nantucket Sommelier
Deliciously Different
White Wine
by Leslie-Ann Sheppard
owner of The Cellar on Surfside Road.
After the cold and quiet months of sipping hearty, comforting, and cozy red wines, April has arrived, and with it, legitimate Spring weather. And when Spring Fever hits—daffodils are in bloom, seasonal restaurants and retail shops are reopening, and the bike paths once again are populated with bicycles, walkers, and strollers—there is an internal ‘shift’ that sometimes inspires us to exercise, spring clean, eat lighter foods, and awaken our palates with wine that fits the mood. Daffodil Weekend arrives and gives us a reason to pack a picnic and head out to ‘Sconset. Wouldn’t it be great to pack a wine that seems to embody the spirit of Spring? How about something with exotic flavors and a slightly floral, lightly spiced bouquet? If your mouth waters at the thought, just wait until you actually have a taste of one of the rarer white wine delicacies: Viognier.
Viognier , you ask? Or, you are too timid to ask, because like ‘Rioja,’ its spelling can present a tricky tongue twister for the un-initiated. It is pronounced ‘vee-on-YAY’, except in Australia, where they turn it into ‘vee-ON-yer’. “Yes, viognier,” your sommelier answers. It can be the sorbet to the heavy five course meal, the perfect accompaniment to your cheese, fruit, and salad, or just a great cocktail to enjoy on its own.
Like most grape types, Viognier traces back to ancient Europe. It is speculated to have been brought up the Rhône River by Greek or Roman sailors sometime between 600 and 400 B.C., along with another great Rhône varietal, syrah.
Viognier then put its roots down in the tiny commune of Condrieu, in the Northern Rhône Valley of France. It is there, in Condrieu, and in the even tinier neighboring community of Chateau Grillet that the Viognier grape has been cultivated and successfully vinified. It is the Viognier grape that is able to carry the expression of this unique spot in France, where the growing conditions are pretty marginal.
The soil in Condrieu is comprised of granite, decomposed rock, mica, shist and clay. The roots of the Viognier vine must burrow deep down to get their nutrients, producing grapes that have mineral notes intertwined with a stony steeliness. Burrowing into the earth is also one of the only ways for the Viognier vines to cling to the steep slopes on which they grow, constantly threatened by erosion from the sometimes very heavy rains.
But the weather conditions are not the only difficulty in growing and producing Viognier. Difficult to plant, it is also easily susceptible to certain mildews that can ruin the grape clusters. It is a finicky grape that leaves little room for error in vinification. If picked too early, Viognier can be thin, tart, and too acidic. Picked too late will result in the sugars being altogether too high to even complete a successful fermentation. Thus, only the experts can produce a great wine that truly represents what Viognier can be.
Which leads us back to Condrieu. It is in this relatively new appellation (created in 1940) where the Viognier experts thrive. It is the only grape grown there, so the winemakers truly connect with their grape, and of course with the land that feeds it. Some of the top producers are Chapoutier, Yves Cuilleron, Andre Perret, Marcel Guigal, Rene Rostaing, and Georges Vernay. Bottlings from these and other great producers are difficult to find (land under vine and wine production are tiny) and are relatively pricey, with some bottles commanding over $100.
Why make the splurge? If made well, Viognier evokes the stone fruits of peaches and apricots, as well as the minerality of the land. It is not a wimpy wine, but is fuller in body, with mouth coating viscosity, perfect acidity and haunting length. Honeysuckle, fruit cocktail, and apple blossom are other aromas and flavors often perceived by tasters of Viognier.
But, then, you can also try very good Viognier bottlings that aren’t such an investment. Aside from the Rhône Valley, Viognier is grown in the south of France, and increasingly in New World areas of California, Australia, Chile, and just about anywhere else where there is a winemaker with a penchant for this Rhône white. I’ve tried some terrific domestic Viognier from Miner Vineyards, Terre Rouge, Pride Vineyards, Failla, and Calera. In a sea of California Chardonnay, these very different and refreshing Viognier can literally awaken your every taste bud. From Australia, my tasters and I love ‘The Innocent’ from Shinas Estate. Light to medium bodied, dry, stony, peach blossom, apricot pit, honeysuckle, and mineral finish makes a great spring white.
Viognier is also a popular blending grape, exemplified expertly in Côte Rôtie, where winemakers are allowed to blend up to 20% Viognier with the red grape syrah for an amazing red wine. Viognier is also one of the 13 grape varietals ‘allowed’ to be blended in Chateauneuf du Pape. And it often shows up in Cotes du Rhone Blanc. In California and Australia, Viognier is an ingredient in many different blended wines, adding more complex fragrance and body to some wines. Some lovely examples of white wine blends containing Viognier are California’s ‘White Coat’ by Turley Wine Cellars, Treana ‘White,’ and Australia’s ‘The Hermit Crab’ by D’Arenberg.
These blends are generally less expensive than the coveted bottlings of Condrieu. There are also bottlings from some of the great producers that are not vineyard or site specific, and are also less expensive. These wines can be fun to try and can be less of a commitment for the un-initiated. But be advised: it can be difficult to find a good Viognier grown and vinified outside of its native neighborhood. But when you do, it can be a wonderful and memorable experience. What better way to celebrate Spring? Pop open a Viognier and awaken the palate.
