What is Viognier?
Viognier is a white wine style best understood through its balance of fruit, freshness, body, tannin, sweetness and texture. Rounded aromatic white with apricot, peach, blossom and a silky texture. Good with roast poultry, mild spice and creamy vegetable dishes. Typical flavours include apricot, peach, honeysuckle, ginger.
Condrieu, Rhône, Languedoc, California
Viognier
Aromatic Rich White · 13-14.5%
Style profile
Grapes, regions and character
Viognier is commonly associated with Viognier. The grape choice shapes the wine’s aroma, structure, acidity, body and food-pairing personality. Classic regions include Condrieu, Rhône, Languedoc, California.
Condrieu, Rhône, Languedoc, California
France; United States
What does Viognier pair well with?
Pair Viognier by matching the wine’s weight, acidity, sweetness and tannin to the dish. It works especially well with roast chicken, mild spice, creamy vegetable dishes, rich fish. It is usually less successful with high-acid salads or very fatty beef.
Best food matches
Pairings to avoid
What makes a good or bad Viognier?
A good Viognier should taste balanced, expressive and clean. Look for clear fruit, freshness, structure and a finish that suits the style. The acidity is usually medium, so the wine should feel lively without becoming harsh. The body is usually medium-full, so it should match the weight expected from this style.
A poor Viognier can taste flat, tired, harsh, thin, overly sweet, too alcoholic or unbalanced. Avoid bottles where oak, bitterness, heat or sweetness dominate the fruit, freshness and structure.
When buying Viognier, look for bottles where the region, grape and producer style match the food you want to cook. Useful countries to look at include France; United States.
Serve Viognier at around 9-11°C. Serving temperature matters because too warm can make wine feel heavy, while too cold can mute flavour.
