Photo of Viognier from Anachronist and licensed via Wikimedia Commons.
Just like Chardonnay is associated with the Burgundy region of France, Viognier is also associated with a specific region in France: the Rhone region. The Rhone River itself begins in the Swiss Alps and goes throughout France, and along its river are some great growing regions, including the Rhone region, which obviously gets its name from the river that runs through it. Viogier is the primary white grape for the Rhone region, and it is often the primary grape in Rhone blends. To learn more about Rhone blends, you should look up the other two predominant grapes from the same region: Marsanne and Roussanne.
Viognier is a dry, full bodied white wine, but its flavors differ from that of the Chardonnay grape. Viogniers tend to have more floral notes, with apricot, pear and peach fruits as opposed to the apple/melon flavors of the Chardonnay grape. It’s sometimes blended with Syrah, which is a typical practice in France.
