26 Jun Cellar Sessions #3 | Viognier
With thousands of grape varieties out there, about 1,300 of which are used to make wine commercially, we don’t blame you if you find it tricky to identify your Pinot Noir’s from your Pinotage’s. That’s why we’re introducing a new monthly blog, Cellar Sessions, that will focus on the diverse range of wine varieties we grow for Fairview wines, so you can actually find these varieties easily wherever you are in the world, and get to know your grape a little bit better. Just remember that we are speaking in relatively general terms, and there is always room for discrepancies!
So gather around, fellow wine lovers! Our third session begins with one of greatest viticultural achievements, otherwise known as Viognier.
The Basics:
Grape Variety: Viognier (pronunciation: Vee-on-yee-ay)
Origin: Rhône Valley, Southern France
Style: Dry white wine
Colour Profile: Medium gold – straw yellow hue
Flavour Profile: Stone fruit (peach, apricot) and floral notes
Key Regions Planted: South Africa, France, Australia, USA, Italy, Argentina, Chile
Food pairing: As an aromatic wine, Viognier loves spice and aromatic foods. It is low on acid and can be quite a full-bodied wine, so think of more robust dishes such as Green Thai Curry or Moroccan tagine.
Our Story:
We are very proud owners of the mother block of Viognier locally, meaning we introduced the very first plantings to South Africa back in the 1990s. Our Fairview Viognier is overtly peachy, noticeably scented and less savoury than its Rhone namesake, reflecting our warmer climate here at Fairview. Our latest vintages have really reflected the cooler Darling area from which they stem, creating more refined wine that offers a subtle salty minerality at the core.
Over the years, our winemaker’s have worked carefully with this delicate French grape variety, producing single variety bottlings and blending it into some of our most special creations, such as our Old World style blend called Nurok and our Brut MCC, the first Methodé Cap Classique wine in the world made using Viognier, Grenache Noir and Grenache Blanc. Our latest range, Bloemcool. also has it’s very own version of Viognier, with the Vis n Tjips – a bold style Viognier, with great aging potential.
All available on our online shop.