I remember the first time I stumbled across an Australian bottle brandishing the Shiraz-Viognier label, and in my youthful ignorance, I was thrilled to have discovered what I thought was a whimsical Aussie conception. Mixing red and white wines? This must be a new idea! After the initial embarrassment of eagerly sharing my brilliant discovery with a wine-guru confidante, who informed me of my mistake, and then eventually acquiring some formal sommelier education of my own, I came to learn that blending red and white wines, and often cofermenting the different grapes, is a French winemaking tradition.
For many wine neophytes, like myself some years ago, French wine is a bit of a mystery because it does not label grape varieties, although this is changing to meet demands of new world consumers. The Rhône valley, in the South of France, produces many blends of both red and white varieties, including some familiar Côtes-du-Rhône wines, and the Côte-Rôtie is only one of several Rhône appellations renowned for them. In fact, the Côte-Rôtie is the original Shiraz-Viognier producer; these two varieties are, indeed, the two grapes of the appellation, but here the red variety goes by its original moniker, Syrah.
While there are many Côtes-du-Rhône bottles available at varying prices at most wine shops, Côte-Rôtie wines available in BC are not for everyday sipping. Also bear in mind, reader, that only some wines from the South of France are blends of both red and white varieties, if this post has influenced your shopping list.
Most red and white blends, like Shiraz/Syrah-Viognier, contain only a small amount of white, and French wines follow strict regulations; AOC law permits only 5% of white wine in Côtes-du-Rhône red blends, for example, and Côte-Rôtie Syrah-Viognier wines can include as much as 20% of the white variety. But just a touch of Viognier goes a long way. This unique variety typically adds a delightful perfume of stewed apricot and floral notes and softer palate to red grape varieties.
As the world’s second largest grower of Syrah, and the country to give it its second name, Shiraz, Australia is also the new world frontrunner in Shiraz-Viognier blends. The Aussie version usually includes around 4% Viognier, and it is found nearly everywhere in Australia wine is produced. Shiraz-Viognier blends are often wines of exceptional value that offer characteristics unique to this particular red-and-white blend, and come at a fraction of the cost of rare and exclusive wines from the Côte-Rôtie.
And the red-and-white blend adventure traverses the wine world with seemingly limitless blending possibilities.
Wolf Blass Gold Label 2005 Shiraz-Viognier is a classic example of an Australian Shiraz-Viognier blend that has a note of apricot and a soft, rich, cuddly palate. The Viognier also adds a subtle note of violets on the nose, and the Shiraz bursts dark, jammy fruit: cassis, plum, and blackberry pie. The palate is luscious and concentrated. A delicious wine for $33.99. Joe Corkscrew had similar, but more comprehensive tasting notes.
Montes Alpha 2006 Syrah is an elegant blend, although it, like many blends that are almost entirely one variety, its label does not tell us it includes 5% Viognier. It actually has a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, too, for structure and complexity. Viognier enhances the wine and adds a delightful floral perfume to layers of cassis from the Cabernet, and strawberry, cherry, spice and smoke from the Syrah. The wine has soft, velvety, long tannins and it truly develops in the glass, with tertiary leather and tobacco notes showing through as the wine opens up. It is a beautifully elegant and complex wine, rated 91 points by Wine Advocate, and well worth $31.99.
Blending wines of both white and red grapes is certainly not a new trend in winemaking. The old world has been at it for years; even Chianti DOC regulations allow for a significant percentage of white varieties, such as Malvasia Bianca and Trebbiano, in its red blend, and Champagne has been blending Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier with Chardonnay since the Middle Ages. So even though I was a naïve young wine lover to think my first bottle of Shiraz-Viognier was an exciting new wine trend, my continued enthusiasm for the affordable, new-world version of a time-honoured winemaking technique has been a rewarding journey.
– ruby
This post also appears on Everything Wine’s Blog.
*wines reviewed in this post are not necessarily vegan.
[…] more information on Shiraz/Viognier blends, from Côte-Rôtie to Australia, check out the new post by Bitch Casserole’s Ruby […]
dont forget the delicious Frankland River’s own Alkoomi Shiraz Viognier………..and by the way I heard over the grapevine that the design of the black chook stands for 95% shiraz (black plumeage) 5% red crown and barbs for the Viognier….
Oh! The Alkoomi is in the photograph, but my caption was cut off for some reason. Thanks for noticing!
And thanks for the input! I haven’t tried either, and I didn’t realize The Black Chook was a metaphor for the blend. Very cool.
[…] Most red and white blends, like Shiraz/Syrah-Viognier, contain only a small amount of white, and French wines follow strict regulations; AOC law permits only 5% of white wine in Côtes-du-Rhône red blends, for example, and Côte-Rôtie Syrah-Viognier wines can include as much as 20% of the white variety. But just a touch of Viognier goes a long way. This unique variety typically adds a delightful perfume of stewed apricot and floral notes and softer palate to red grape varieties… read more […]