"Compromises are for relationships, not wine." --- Sir Robert Scott Caywood
Viognier
(vee ohn yay). If you’ve not enjoyed
this white wine grape as a varietal, you may have had it unknowingly - blended in
with your Syrah. A small amount
(sometimes no more than 3%) is co-fermented with red Syrah in order to add
bouquet. On its own, Viognier can
produce full bodied wines of lush character with delightful and powerful
aromatics of peach, apricot and pear along with minerality. It pairs well with spicy cuisine. It is
distinctive and one of my favorite white wines.
The
French know very well what Viognier is, but do not label their wines by
varietal. Instead, labeling is by geographical area. Condrieu is its own appellation (AOC) in the
Northernmost white wine appellation in the Rhone Valley and is the original home of the Viognier vine. Condrieu’s terraces are composed mostly of
granite and “arzelle”: a mixture of decomposed granite, mica, shale and clay
that gives wine from that AOC its character. E Guigal is the “firm” producing the wine,
founded in 1946 (imagine planting vineyards so soon after war’s damage) by
Etienne Guigal. It is now under the control of grandson Marcel Guigal.
Perhaps
the most famous Viognier is Guigal’s “La Doriane” Condrieu,* a cuvee with an
ARP of $85. But wait… $85? Viognier can
be had for $20 and less. Well, there are
Yugos and Bentleys and both share characteristics, but can’t be said to be the
same. So a better inquiry is to wonder
if that difference is worth the
difference. And by worth, I mean is the experience elevated enough for my ordinary
taste buds to justify the difference? I
tasted a 2011 E. Guigal Condrieu (not the cuvee) which, at the time, retailed
for $55 and which I found for $29 as an “End of Bin.” Perhaps you’ll understand
later why I tasted a 2012 soon after and happily paid the full retail of $56. Vive la
difference!
All
Viognier will share character, but it’s a matter of degree. The best wine, for
me, is that which alludes, hints, teases, seduces. It’s the wine that is the most difficult to
describe because all the instruments in the symphony of flavor work together in
symbiotic harmony; no one instrument is too dominant. Guigal’s Condrieu offers a bouquet of
pleasant spice with lemon, quince, kiwi and pineapple. On the palate, it is rich and full bodied and
gifting flavors of un-ripe peach, Meyer lemon and lemon-crème and pineapple.
The finish is floral tinted and the memory of the experience taunts repeating
it.
 |
| So tasty with spicy scallops & shrimp. |
The aromatics and flavors are
delicate, clean with minerality. This is
a wine for both the senses and one’s thoughts.
And upon tasting it, one learns why others are so enamored by the
experience. Sociologists observe that
today’s generation values “the experience” over things. I don’t pretend to completely understand
that, but I can say my experience savoring Guigal’s Condrieu is one I
valued. Wine Advocate awarded 92 points
to this vintage. Wine & Spirits gave it 94.
The Rhone Report assigned it 91 as did Wine Spectator. International Wine Cellar continued in this
direction by giving it 92 points. Along
with these rankings came descriptives of flavors, some of which I also enjoyed
and others which I didn’t detect so they go unmentioned. For me, what was so
enjoyable was how all these aromatics and flavors assembled as a choir with
superb grace and finesse. Nuances that were seamless. Once experienced, this
wine, contrasted against other Viognier, makes others seem like brash
cousins. Tiramisu vs. puddin’ pops. What your palate detects will be
different. Palates do what they do
independent of our wishes, but it’s certain the overall experience will be
enjoyable.
Nor should you worry that the
2011s are off the shelf. Viognier is a
wine to drink young. I found the 2012
vintage to be much the same; a little
crisper with acids more detectable but with the same lush mouthfeel. (Both
undergo 100% malolactic fermentation). As
a rule, Guigal ferments one third in new barrel and two thirds in stainless. The 2013 vintage (not yet tasted) is available
now and, allegedly, is a little tighter. No surprise there. I found these wines improve over 1-2-3 years
of cool cellaring. Consistent along each
vintage is the scoring. Wine Spectator awarded 93 points to the 2013 and 90 to
the 2012. Wine Advocate awarded 92
points to the 2013 and 93 to the 2012.
So while the experts don’t exactly agree, the consensus among those that
know is that E. Guigal’s Condrrieu is the gold standard for Viognier. And for whatever the Wine Mizer can weigh in
with, I’ll say only that I’m looking forward to tasting the 2013.
Pair this wine with any
seafood. Try it against oily Sockeye salmon, mushroom caps stuffed with shrimp
& crab sauced with beurre blanc, lobster, pate, white asparagus and, day I
say?...... ham!
Sante!
……………….. Jim
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* In case
you’re wondering, the difference with Curve La Doriane is that it sees 100% new
oak and is a selection that comes from a number of estate plots. The classic Condrieu, remember, is two-thirds
steel and with some grapes being sourced from neighboring vineyards. I’m quite happy with the freshness of steel,
but feel free to experiment. Both
bottling are 100% Viognier and made from vines whose average age is 30 years.
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