WINE LESSON #12: VIOGNIER WHITE WINE IS PERFECT WITH ASIAN FOOD (PART 1/2)
Viognier is always a full-bodied white wine with a finish that lingers on for quite a while, and for these qualities, it is well-suited for stir-fry dishes, spicy Asian-flavoured dishes, and coconut milk in sauces
VIOGNIER, pronounced vee-oh-NYAY, is a white wine grape not very well known outside the French wine region Rhône, although wine enthusiasts have long fallen in love with the full-bodied voluptuous white wine from Condrieu and Hermitage.
For a bottle of those, many willingly part with US$100 without batting an eyelash. And then there is this very rare wine called Château Grillet, the tiniest appellation comprising of just one property.
Viognier is one of the few white grapes that are frequently added to red wine for a softer and suppler mouth-feel.
It makes man-size white wine with intense fruit flavors, stunning aromas and extraordinarily high levels of alcohol, though often too high for its own good.
Advent of fusion cuisine led to its discovery, which later won the approval of the quaffing public. Its size allows this dry white wine to stand up to spicy Asian-flavoured dishes. Later on the same people would find out that Viognier pairs very well with cheese also and that helped to fuel its ascent to stardom in the New Worlds.
Viognier is almost always an expensive proposition for a number of reasons.
First of all, the yield of the grapes is low. To make matters worse it is highly susceptible to (vine) diseases. As a matter of fact, it was on the road to vanishing completely by the mid-80s. A crop of Viognier is as expensive as premium Cabernet Sauvignon, which is always the most expensive grape to purchase.
This grape flourishes in warmer climates with a long growing season. It doesn't pack much acidity, though. Its high sugar levels encourage producers to consider it for sweet dessert wines.
Click here to read Part 2
Source: Wine Lesson #12: When To Order Viognier Wine (Part 1/2)
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