DRINK DIFFERENT - VIOGNIER/CHARDONNAY

This month’s column is as good a demonstration of the cyclical nature of wine trends as you could ask for.  Ten years ago, everyone was fed up of the proliferation of Chardonnay, and the term ABC (‘anything but Chardonnay’) was heard in wine bars throughout Britain.

One of the grapes which was touted as a viable alternative was Viognier, with its floral, stone-fruit characteristics.  Viognier’s heartland is the northern Rhone, where it commands impressive prices, but you are finding examples from California, Australia and even Uruguay on the shelves nowadays.

If you think Viognier is becoming a bit commonplace, why not go back to Chardonnay.  You will find that most of the over-oaked, one-dimensional examples are long-gone; when made well, Chardonnay offers complex, buttery flavours, which can range from the austere (Chablis) to the rich (Californian), and all points in between.