Viognier is one of the world’s most misunderstood grape varieties. The spelling and pronunciation do not help and all of us in the wine industry have heard its name butchered dozens of times, and not just by the customers…. No doubt it scares many consumers away before they have even hit the starting line, which is a shame as Viognier at its best is an enthralling white wine, with the pungent power of aged Alsace Riesling and the luscious texture of old school chardonnay. And like chardonnay, it also does not mind a bit of oak to bring back its explosive primary fruit and to add delicious savoury layers which also help to tame its wild, decadent tropical fruits.

The home of Viognier is in France’s Rhone Valley, particularly the picturesque hills around the town of Condrieu. It is a town I have visited and really a must see for any travellers along the road between two of France’s great food destinations, Lyon and Avignon. The vines are planted on steep terraced slopes and it is only with those steep hillsides that the vines get the right amount of warm sunlight in what is a cooler climate. What is sometimes forgotten is that viognier also works very well in blends with other grape varieties such as marsanne, roussanne and grenache blanc, particularly in the white wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with Côtes du Rhônes, from the likes of Guigal, a great introduction to the style. So unlike many other grape varieties, viognier truly is as good in a blend as it is a single varietal.

Here in Australia Viognier has been a slow burn. While Yalumba has invested significantly in plantings and experimentation in the vineyard and winery, there are really only a handful of producers giving it a red hot go. Where there has been some real movement in recent years has been in the blending space, particularly in warmer regions such as the Barossa, where we are now starting to see some quite serious wines. But for signal varietals, cool climates are definitely king providing complex and detailed wines but without too much fruit pungency and softness on the palate. Here are some wines that showcase a range of Viognier styles, the 2019 The Virgilius from Yalumba, in particular, illustrating that this is certainly not a variety to be ignored.

E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2019
Bright mid straw in colour with very attractive and heady aromas of honeysuckle and apricot with savoury almond kernels in a bright and clean style. Dry and textural, there is good elegance and subtlety to the palate rounded up nicely by a lingering, silky finish.
91 Points
Drink 2022 – 2025

Langmeil Three Gardens Viognier Marsanne Roussanne 2021
A beautiful Australian example of the Rhône blend here and the best wine I can remember under this label – thank you 2021. Pale in colour with heady, exotic aromas – frangipani, apricot and preserved lemon with buoyant aromatic lift. Then deliciously juicy and bright on the palate lacking the heaviness sometimes seen in similar styles with upfront fruit power, juicy acidity and fine length providing the complete package.
92 Points
Drink 2022 – 2025

Yalumba Organic Viognier 2021
A great introduction to Viognier with a bright mid straw colour before launching into pretty floral, apricot and citrus fruits. Good balance too on the palate with a gently creamy texture and just enough acidity to give a bright, clean finish. A perfect picnic wine.
87 Points
Drink 2022 – 2023

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2020
Viognier is not everyone’s cup of tea with its pungent, exotic fruits sometimes a little bit confronting. But here is the antidote – a Viognier than turns down the explosive fruit while delivering elegance and subtlety. Mid straw in colour, there is an attractive mix of reserved florals and green mango with intriguing hints of coriander seed. Dry, mid weight and it certainly does show the classic creamy texture and richness of Viognier with tropical fruits but retains its elegance over a lingering finish.
91 Points
Drink 2022 – 2025

Yalumba FSW Botrytis Viognier 2020
Looking for a fun dessert wine to turn heads? Then look no further than this beautifully pure sweet style with a bright pale golden colour matched with just ripe apricot and marmalade aromas. Sweet, balanced and juicy, the palate is full of vibrant sweet tropical fruits with a touch of acidity and a creamy finish. Track down the sweetest dessert you can find and dig in.
91 Points
Drink 2022 – 2026

Yalumba The Virgilius Eden Valley Viognier 2019
An absolutely cracking vintage of Virgilius here and in the kind of form that makes it undoubtedly one of the country’s best. Pale golden in colour, there is fantastic aromatic focus and detail; apricot skin and dried florals with savoury cashew and subtle but high quality French oak all with pinpoint balance. It’s then dry, mouthfilling and quite textural but also reserved with a backbone of silky acidity and a savoury, nutty fruit profile with only gentle touches of classic apricot notes. Fantastic underlying fruit power then drives a long and engaging finish making one hell of a food-friendly wine for anything well matched to high-end Chardonnay.
94 Points
Drink 2022 – 2030