The Viognier grape has quite an unusual history. About forty years ago it was limited to some 35 acres (14 hectares) in the Rhone Valley of southeastern France. These few acres included the grapes that were transformed into Condrieu, considered the best white in the Rhone Valley. Now Viognier has become an up and coming white variety found in many countries including the United States, especially California, and in Australia. If you are tired of Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs (or even if you aren’t) you may want to try a Viognier such as this one. And next time you are in the mood for a Chilean red look for Colchagua Valley on the label. We will do so ourselves but won’t be surprised if we can’t find any in the $10 and less category.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Cono Sur Viognier 2008 13.7% alcohol about $8

Let’s start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale gold color; tropical fruit aromas with melon, peach and orange blossom notes; dry, medium bodied, with great acidity and flavors of grapefruit, peach, green apple and pineapple; good length on the finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve with stir-fry or wok-sautéed white meats, vegetables and creamy poultry dishes. And now for my review.

I started by sipping this wine alone. I got the characteristic honeysuckle. It was long and slightly sweet with pleasant acidity. The first meal included a purchased barbecued chicken leg with the paprika-dusted skin on. The sides were a slightly sweet noodle pudding and a white bean and grilled red pepper combo. With the chicken the flavor went from honeysuckle to honey. This Viognier was persistent with a note of lemon peel. I tasted lemon and orange when it was paired with the noodle pudding. But the bean and red pepper combo stole some of the wine’s fruit. Talking about fruit, I finished the glass with some orange fruit juice candy. At first I thought the pairing wasn’t very good, but I changed my mind. The wine displayed bright acidity and was almost feathery.

The second meal involved a middle-eastern dish called Kube (or Kibbe), ground beef in crushed wheat jacket slow cooked in a peppery tomato sauce. Once again I tasted honeysuckle (the dominant flavor of most Viogniers), citrus, and honey notes. I liked its sweetness. With seconds the acidity became softer.

The final meal was an omelet with sides of grilled eggplant and a grilled artichoke dip. When facing the omelet the Viognier was slightly sweet with lingering acidity. I can’t say that the wine and omelet really meshed, but an omelet isn’t much to mesh with. The artichoke dip intensified the acidity and the eggplant intensified the fruit.

Now for the cheeses. With a Brick cheese the wine became weaker. The Havarti was a better match. Even though this cheese was stronger tasting than the Brick, the wine remained fruity – go figure.

Final verdict. If you are in the market for a different white wine at a low, low price this is a good one. Because I am not very partial to Viogniers I probably won’t be buying this one again in the near future. And at $40 or much more, it may be a long time before I review a Condrieu in my French fine wine column.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but frankly prefers drinking fine German or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and the right people. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. Check out his wine website http://www.theworldwidewine.com with a weekly column reviewing $10 wines and new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

This wine grape probably originated centuries ago in Damatia. Roman history says it was brought to history in 281 A.D. by the Empower Probus. Many people believe that it is named after the city of Vienne which was a military outpost for the Romans. It also sounds like the Roman phrase that means “the road to Hell.”

This might allude to the intoxicating effects of drinking the wine or it might be a reference to the fact that this grape is quite hard to grow. In fact due to a lack of attendance to the vineyards during World War II the Voignier grape vine almost became extinct, along with other grapes, such as Tocai (http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Tocai/).

This grape is now grown only exclusively in the Northern Rhone area which grows mostly red wine grapes. There is a low production every year of only 1900 liters of wine. This is because it is vulnerable to powdery yields. The timing of the picking of the grape must be very precise. When picked too late in the season the grape can produce a thick oily wine without any pleasurable aroma. It is a very fussy grape that prefers the Mediterranean climate.

Another factor that affects the quality of the wine is the age of the grape plant. The vines don’t produce great wine until they are least fifteen years old. In the Rhone area of France vines exist that are over seventy years old. Ideally this grape will produce a wine that is thirteen percent alcohol. The best wine will have a deep yellow color. It prefers warm environments and long growing season.

Even though it does not take to every climate it has migrated successfully to California and Virginal in the United States. Virginia’s Monticello wine growing region is perfect for growing this type of grape. The grape is also grown in South Africa, New Zealand, and Japan.

In France, Viognier is grown as a single grape variety on the west bank of the Rhône River. This particular grape is also frequently blended with other varietal wines such as Roussanne (http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Roussanne/), Grenache, Rolle and Marsanne. To make Beaujolais the wine can contain up to twenty percent of Viognier instead of five percent. One reason that Viogniers are added to wine blends is because it helps stabilize the red pigments in the wines so that the wine stays red.

Plantings of these vines have really grown in North America since the eighties. The California coast produces over two thousand acres of this grape. It can also be found in Colorado, New York, Washington and Virgina as well as the Niagara region and British Columbia province in Canada. It is also grown as a varietal grape in Chilean Argentina.

This grape is big in Australia and added to many Shiraz blends. Famous areas that grow the Viognier (http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Viognier/) plantings include Murray River, Rutherglen, Nagambie Lakes, Cangerrie and Tenter.

The Viognier is prized because it is a floral wine. It must be consumed young as it does not age well. It becomes flat and scentless if aged. Don’t drink Viognier single varieties that are more than three years old. This wine is predominately very dry although dessert wines are also sometimes created by it.

This is quite an oily wine if it is made from the juice of the skins so some producers of this wine make sure the skins are removed. To increase its alkalinity it is sometimes stirred using a process called batonnage. This strongly perfumed wine pairs well with spicy cuisines like Thai and Chinese. It also matches well with sushi and strong French cheeses.

Dessert wines are created from Viognier grapes that are picked in October or early November. The grape is fragile so the grapes are shaken off the vine to avoid bruising while harvesting. Many wine experts say that this wine peaks at one year of age.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in international cuisines and fine wine varietals, such as Tocai and Viognier. For more great varietals, please visit http://www.wineaccess.com/.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

The Rhone Valley ranks second in acreage among France’s eleven wine-growing regions. It’s really a question of two separate areas with very different wines. The narrow northern Rhone Valley produces only a small fraction of the Rhone wines. Its major red grape is Syrah, and its major white variety is Viognier. Traditionally wines in the southern Rhone Valley are blended. For example, both the red and the white Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC wine may include over a dozen different grape varieties. The white Chateauneuf-du-Pape reviewed below includes four varieties, White Grenache, Rousssane, Bourbuolenc, and Clairette. With the exception of Roussane, these are not considered particularly high-quality grapes. Many of the other permitted varieties are also pedestrian grapes. But Chateauneuf-du-Pape is certainly considered a fine wine. You will never see it on a $10 wine list. Only once in a while you will see it on a $15 wine list.

The village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is home to about two thousand people and some very well-known French wines. During the Fourteenth Century seven French Popes made their home in nearby Avignon and they got their table wine from the town named new castle of the pope. You may want to visit the Musee des Outils de Vignerons Pere Anselme (The Father Anselm Museum of Winemakers Tools) or the ruins of the Chateau. The nearby city of Orange is home to a great Roman theatre and even an Arc de Triomphe, much less visited than its Parisian namesake.

Before reviewing the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Soupe de Lentilles Provençale (Provencale Lentil Soup). For your second course savor Pates aux Coquillages (Seafood Pasta). And as dessert indulge yourself with Fougassette (Sweet Bread with Orange Flower Water).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Fiole Blanc 13% about $22.50

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale gold; aromas of mineral and grapefruit, crisp and dry with a mineral flavor. Serving Suggestion: Serve with fish or seafood.

In the first sips I tasted honey and minerals. The wine was mildly sweet. The first pairing was with a Middle-Eastern dish called kube (or kibbe) consisting of ground beef in jackets made of crushed wheat, slow-cooked in a peppery tomato sauce. The wine tasted of grapefruit. It was nicely long and fairly powerful.

My next meal centered around a barbecued chicken breast in a caramelized sauce accompanied by potato salad and a Moroccan style tomato salsa with garlic that wasn’t very spicy. The wine was sweet like many a Riesling. It went well with the chicken’s sweetness. The acidity was light but increased as the meal went on. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s predominant flavor was grapefruit. In the presence of a sweet but acidic, high-quality French style lemon pie the wine was round but weak.

The final meal was broiled salmon filet in a soy and honey sauce with brown rice and zucchini cooked in tomatoes. The wine’s soft acidity was a great compliment to the softness of the fish. Once again grapefruit came out with the rice and zucchini combo. The wine’s acidity went well with the acidity of the tomatoes.

The first cheese was a Mozzarella. The wine was round, forceful, and frankly wasted. With a yellow Cheddar the wine was fairly tasteless. It just didn’t stand up to this fairly weak cheese.

Final verdict. I would buy this wine again but carefully watch what I pair it with. Never again would it be wasted with a pedestrian cheese. My idea of a great wine evening might be starting with this white Chateauneuf-du-Pape to accompany a salmon fillet followed by a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a leg of lamb or roast duck. And live a bit like those French Popes almost seven hundred years ago.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but would rather just drink fine German or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches various computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. Check out his global wine website http://www.theworldwidewine.com with a weekly column reviewing $10 wines and new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review have been purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Goats do Roam South Africa 2008 13.5% alcohol about $10

Let’s start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Ripe and creamy, with delicious apricot, melon and peach cobbler notes backed by a whiff of toast on the finish. Drink now. Score – 88. (James Molesworth, at the Wine Spectator website, June 30, 2009. And now for my review.

With the first sips (no food) I noted the wine’s bright acidity. The taste of honeysuckle was dominant. The initial meal centered around a barbecued chicken leg in a thick, paprika tomato sauce. The wine’s acidity stepped up to meet the sauce. The accompanying potatoes roasted in chicken fat intensified the wine’s fruit. With smoky tasting grilled eggplant virtually covered in garlic the wine was round and seemed sweeter.

The second meal consisted of a boxed Eggplant Rolatini stuffed with Ricotta and Mozzarella cheese and slathered with grated Parmesan cheese. The wine was light and almost feathery. It presented bright acidity and I tasted some apricots in the background. It was surprisingly long.

The final meal was also vegetarian. I started with Matjes herring that rendered the wine round with fine acidity. I noted a definite apple flavor. When paired with green beans in tomato sauce this wine was not very present but I noted some green apples. When paired with okra in a tomato, garlic, and onion sauce the blend picked up a bit and was fairly long but did not give a lot of fruit. The roasted eggplant with lots of oil and garlic took away the wine’s fruit, just as the wine refreshingly washed away this delicious vegetable’s grease. I made the mistake of trying this wine with Haagen Dazs Mayan Chocolate ice cream. The wine was thin and had harsh acidity.

I tasted this wine with two cheeses; with the Asiago the wine wasn’t very acidic. It did have some apple taste with a bit of sweetness. With a fairly tasty Swiss Emmenthaler the wine picked up some strength and length. This combination was fairly good.

Final verdict. Good, but not good enough. Actually, with the right pairing it’s not bad. But I have grown to expect more from South African wines.

In his younger days Levi Reiss wrote or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but he prefers drinking fine German or other wine with the right foods and the right people. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his global wine website http://www.theworldwidewine.com with a weekly column reviewing $10 wines and new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines.

Article Source: ArticleSpan