Summerland Paradise Road Viognier 2016

Summerland Paradise Road Viognier 2016

The white grape synonymous with the northern Rhne, Viognier also leads a dual life and is also found blended with Syrah in red wines both at home and abroad. On its own, Viognier produces golden-colored, aromatic white wines with pronounced stonefruit aromas (apricots and peaches are often cited) alongside a full-bodied and often textural palate. It is susceptible to high alcohol levels and low levels of freshening acidity.

Viognier ripens mid-to-late in the season and generally prefers a warmer climate to fully express its aromatic potential. While it is closely associated with its home region of Condrieu, in France’s northern Rhne, it is rare to find the variety much further north of this. Indeed, it responds more readily to warmer growing conditions further south, and warmer regions worldwide, although in these instances, careful viticulture and winemaking become vital to ensuring the variety’s tendency to produce high sugar levels do not produce “flabby” alcoholic wines, lacking freshness.