Viognier - harder to say than it is to drink

Let’s start with the elephant in the room…

How do you pronounce its name? Think ‘vee-own-yay’. Say it quickly, perhaps add a slight French accent and you’re good to go. Saying ‘vee-ogg-neigher’ will get you there, too. Even pointing to it on the menu works - just make sure it doesn’t put you off trying this delicious grape variety.

If you like Chardonnay, you’ll probably like Viognier.

It’s got a nice weight to it similar to how Chardonnay feels. They’re both medium-bodied white wines which can be oak aged which produces quite different results.

Viognier is like perfume.

The aromas you’ll get from a Viognier are quite complex and really not too far away from a floral perfume. It begins with floral notes; honeysuckle and roses. Then it progresses into fruits like peaches and ripe mango with notes of oranges, too. Finally, there’s a layer of vanilla and baking spices like nutmeg and clove.

Viognier likes the sunshine.

Sunny days followed by cool nights. These are the preferred growing conditions of the Viognier grape variety. The coolness at night helps to keep the acidity of the wine. It can be grown in France, South Africa, Austria and the USA.

It pairs well with spicy food.

Perhaps surprisingly, Viognier wine pairs very well with Thai food. It’s quite a versatile wine for food and works best with foods that complement its fruity-floral flavour profile.

Want to try some Viognier? We’ve got a few cans from around the world that showcase the grape in very different ways. Firstly, why not try a pure expression of the grape? The Canned Wine Co’s 100% Viognier from Austria is a great place to start. The Curator has a delicious white wine blend from South Africa which is a blend containing Viognier.

Be sure to check out Brixton Wine Club’s ever-changing range of canned red wines. Canned wine is not only better for the planet, but a great way to try new wines and learn more about them. Our canned wine monthly subscriptions come with tasting notes so you can learn whilst you sip and are the perfect gift for any wine lover.