Opulent Viognier has low acidity and floral and stone-fruit aromas. It requires skill to grow, as its high potential alcohol spikes quickly at harvest, producing flabby wines. Luxuriously textured with apricot, honeysuckle and rotting passion-fruit aromas, the best Viogniers come from the tiny monopole Château-Grillet and surrounding appellation of Condrieu in France’s Northern Rhône Valley. These vineyards were saved from abandonment in the ’60s by the tireless work of vignerons Georges Vernay and Marcel Guigal, whose eponymous domaines still produce benchmark Condrieu. Viognier has also grown in popularity across southern France, Australia and California.
