Viognier

Viognier is best known through Condrieu, a small, steep-sited appellation in the northern Rhone where the grape reaches its most perfumed, apricot-and-blossom expression. Its naturally low acidity and thick skins make it a trickier variety to get right than most whites, prone to flabbiness if picked too ripe, which is part of why it remains less widely planted than other aromatic whites. New Zealand producers in Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa have taken up the challenge with good results, often adding texture through partial barrel fermentation. For the grape's spiritual home, Rhone Valley Wine covers the wider region, and Hawke's Bay Wine is worth a look for New Zealand's take.