Viognier is a gorgeously rich and lightly perfumed white grape from France’s Northern Rhone. The most famous examples come from the small appellation of Condrieu and the most expensive 100% Viognier wines are from the tiny enclave of Château-Grillet within the Condrieu region. For value Viognier look to Australia, California and even parts of Canada.

Viognier has gorgeous aromatics, reminiscent of peach, apricot, blossoms and sweet honey notes. It has a rich and viscous mouthfeel, sometimes oaked, but hardly ever with an overwhelming oakiness that some Chardonnays can have. Viognier is a heat loving grape that performs best in the sun.

The wine’s lush mouth feel and inherent richness makes it an ideal match for rich shellfish like lobster and scallops.