One of my favourite grapes is Viognier, the banner white grape of the Northern Rhone Valley. It is blessed with the richness of Chardonnay (minus all of the butterscotch and caramel that comes with oak-ageing), but it has a unique set of flavours all to itself. It is apparently a difficult grape to grow (although being an urban-dwelling Canadian, I really wouldn’t know).
For years, it was only found in the tiny region of Condrieu in the northern Rhone Valley. Now, you can find Viognier all over the world. Even Canada has gotten into the game, with fine examples from both B.C and Ontario (the linked list doesn’t include the Kettle Valley Viognier from Naramata).
In the Winnipeg market, there are two good examples gracing local shelves these days. Both are from Chile. Both are under $15, and both are very good. Read on for the winner in today’s showdown…
